The 'Heterosexual' Adventures Of Wally And Ruby
by Captain Buggles
Summary: Looking back, I would've thought this journey would be entirely ordinary...but of course, my unexpected traveling partner certainly made things more interesting. If nothing was exceptional, then nothing was worth telling you. Loverivalshipping. Brendan's name is Ruby here. Now with weekly-ish updating.
1. Chapter 1

**The 'Heterosexual' Adventures of Wally and Ruby  
**

**Loverivalshipping, Wally x Brendan (by a different name).  
Gameverse.  
Brendan's name is Ruby and May's name is Sapphire because I like those names a lot more than Brendan and May. This is NOT mangaverse. When and hopefully if it gets going, it's going to be fairly serious and actually have plot beyond "Herpderp get da badges an b da besh wif mai kawaii uguu boifran." .  
**

**Stuff CAN die and bleed and everything, but it isn't Nuzlocke. All mechanics and additions to Pokemon are up to date (as in movesets, items, Pokémon, TMs being reusable, blurr blurr blurr) but 4th/5th gen Pokemon are very rare unless they're with some foreign trainer. **

**This is not going to be just like the game, things will be different and Wally and Ruby are going to be traveling together. They WILL be in a homosexual relationship eventually, with lots of teasing beforehand. Ruby narrates 1st person, and gets a secret crush on Wally almost immediately XD.**

**-Stupid, redundant, obvious disclaimer goes here-**

* * *

I first met Wally a couple of weeks after my journey started, when I hadn't even gotten my first badge. He was just some scrawny green themed kid with the misfortune of being named Wally. Seriously. Wally. What a dumb name… so silly and childish. But thoughts like that should stay inside for everyone's sake. His voice squeaked and whistled, it was soft and high and he almost strained to be heard easily. He walked like he was made of fine china, his skin was pale, he coughed and wheezed randomly, and he didn't look 14 at all.

At best, I felt sort of sorry for him. However, I was mostly kind of annoyed with him because my dad, leader of Petalburg Gym, had forced him on me, so I gave him a rather patronizing lesson in Pokémon capture. I cursed silently to myself as a Ralts decided that out of all people who combed the grasses in frustration for hours or even days, some green haired pasty face was immediately deserving of its rarity. Probably because with that green hair and obnoxiously clean white shirt that was kind of too big for him, the kid kinda looked like a Ralts. Then to top it all off, there was his pale, porcelain skin…it looked a little unhealthy, but it was so smooth and the sun gave it this sort of backlight glow that happened to go really well with that huge, goofy grin the lucky bastard gave me when he caught the Ralts with the Zigzagoon my dad loaned him. I think he looked something like a trainer for the first time when he lifted that Pokeball high above his head like it was some kind of trophy. That triumphant, confident expression he had, even if it was for just a moment, managed to raise him above the image of a cute little fourteen year old boy who belonged in a dollhouse rather than outside…

He was good company, especially after I helped him catch that Ralts. Although he started out timid and shaky, the excitement of having his first Pokémon suddenly made him very amicable, but he seemed to be struggling to talk loudly enough and he would rasp and sputter a little sometimes. He seemed genuinely amazed by all the ordinary, weak Pokémon going on about their business, and I healed his new Ralts with a potion and encouraged him to walk with it. He almost immediately sat down and made all kinds of weird, cute noises at it, then began talking to it, excitedly telling it all kinds of things about himself. Sensing his excitement and enthusiasm, the little one was happy to listen, and even sat on his lap, seemingly enraptured. It quickly became more about stories than strict things about him, so I joined in too. Then, I sent out my Mudkip and he sent out my dad's Zigzagoon, and they all began to play together. Once Zigzagoon decided to go back to the gym by itself, with its own Pokeball secured in its mouth, I thought it was about time to go, but Wally really wanted to stay a while longer, and he is just so damn cute when he begs…

Before I knew it, we had strayed hours away from Petalburg, and it was dark outside. Wally and I had ramen for dinner over a campfire while talking about ourselves and whatever came to mind… Normally I wouldn't do that with someone I just met, but he just kept coming at me with eager topics and questions. Even though it became sort of annoying, it was contagious, and we had all sorts of healthy conversation going. It was kind of like a funny little date…now that I realize that it's pretty embarrassing. Since he'd managed to work his way well past "stranger" status, I let him use my sleeping bag while I just curled up on a blanket.

Even then, we kept talking for a little while once Wally reluctantly told me he didn't like the dark… And with that single weakness exposed, it turned into a whole spiel about how kids in town made fun of him and he'd always been lonely because whenever he was actually healthy enough to play he was shunned by just about everyone. He'd always wanted to be a trainer to show them all up, but he never thought he'd be able to due to his illness. On a brighter note, he told me about how his health issues had improved recently, and that he'd be going to Verdanturf to hopefully improve his condition, maybe enough to go on a journey of his own, which he seemed very excited about.

I kind of felt sorry for him, sympathizing because just a couple months earlier I had been in a little Goldenrod apartment…and before my dad finally found success as a gym leader, I was that poor kid people ignored and laughed at…Home wasn't much better, my mom would alternate between missing Dad horribly and being completely pissed at him, and they would have long arguments over the phone. I knew she didn't mean it, but she would sort of ignore me. So I just kind of kept things to myself and ended up being a very quiet person most of the time. But somehow, Wally was an exception to this.

I told him all about how my dad struggled to become successful, while my mom and I nearly gave up on him, and sort of spilled my heart out about my Goldenrod life. Hearing the sound of deep, rhythmic, wordless breathing at the end of it struck me as a relief rather than rude, and I decided to go to sleep too. In the morning, we hurried back, but ran into Dad and that same Zigzagoon after about an hour. Exasperated and annoyed, he chewed us out good, then had us flown the rest of the way with a couple of Swellow. It was faster than walking but rather slow for flying, so Wally's breathing wouldn't be compromised. Wally's parents made an especially big scene, and Wally's mom actually cried even though Zigzagoon gave us an apologetic look as if it had tried its best to tell everyone we were fine.

I was worried they hated me, but after his earful Wally excitedly told them about what we did, and emphasized how he really felt like a trainer and had a load of fun. He even called me Ruby-senpai…I blushed like a Cheri Berry when I heard that and immediately discouraged him, saying I was really just a rookie myself...he nodded and apologized before continuing the conversation…then immediately switched to Ruby-nii the next time he used my name, since I was 16 and he was 14. I inhaled sharply, but decided to just give up after that.

* * *

After that, the remaining first part of my journey up to seeing Wally again was a whole cool story all by itself, but you don't get to hear about that. But I will tell you that by time I saw Wally again, I had a Marshtomp, Breloom (the evolution required a rather bothersome stall in my actual progress just to train), Electrike, and Aron.

So, we're at the part I met Wally again, in case I wasn't clear enough. After a frustrating walk beneath Cycling Road, and seeing Sapphire's speedy ass get to ride in style on a sweet new bike, I was walking out of the bike shop with a bike of my own tucked in my bag, made nearly bottomless by a technology similar to Pokeballs in case you were wondering how I carry so much stuff around. That's when I saw Wally again, after about 4 months. Arceus bless Verdanturf for what it did to him.

He was a couple of inches taller, yet it seemed like he gained some weight too. Not "OH SHIT YOU GOT FAT!" by any stretch of the imagination, he was still obviously slender, just not to a frail, ridiculous extent anymore. He stood straight up and alert, sharp green eyes widening when he saw me approaching as casually as possible. His skin had become a much healthier tone, yet still very smooth, and even his hair had darkened a bit…Yes, I sincerely managed to notice all of these differences during that reunion with him... Yes, I pretty much completely check him out. I know you're laughing.

"_This kid must be adamant about his lotion._" I thought enviously, recalling a few freckles and blemishes I'd seen on my face as I self-consciously raised a hand to my surely dirty and slightly sweaty face. Seeing his clean clothes and well groomed hair, I surmised that a lifetime of being sickly had made him a stickler for hygiene.

Speaking of that, he smiled like a madman when he completely recognized me, revealing his beautifully white teeth….I licked mine enviously, I could've stood to brush more often.

"R-Ruby?" He said hesitantly, looking at me for a minute, then charging forwards. "Ruby-nii!" He shouted happily as he made a mad dash for me. I tried to get out of the way, but he purposely changed direction, slamming right into me with a forceful hug. "I missed you! Did you catch more Pokemon?! What happened?! Tell me!..Gosh, your chest is so firm!"

"First, what the hell happened to your voice?" I said in shock, it was still rather soft and high, but it had become much louder and clearer, hardly the voice of a sickly little boy.

"The air here is wonderful! It was even more helpful than we hoped!" he said ecstatically, backing up a bit and letting go of me but still quite close. I took a large, awkward step back, but if he even noticed he didn't care. "Gosh, you look even cooler than I remember! You're totally authentic now! And all that running around got you some great legs, if you don't mind me sayi-"

"A-actually, I do mind.." I said, blushing "A-and that thing about my chest too…"

"Oh…oh no, I'm so sorry, I just get excited and…yeah…" Wally said, blushing slightly back at me and backing away.

"It's okay…" I said softly, feeling an odd mixture of being flattered, creeped out, and embarrassed all at once.

"Not much better at talking are you?" Wally said, giving me one of those small 'what a shame' smiles.

"Ah..guess not…" I said, trying not to stumble over words

"Arceus almighty, is this that Ruby you keep gushing about?" A man who looked to be in his 40's come over, smiling fondly at me.

"Yeah Uncle, this is Ruby-nii! I just knew he'd come!" Wally said happily.

"Pleased to meet you!" Wally's uncle said loudly, extending his hand for a handshake.

"..Yeah.." I said meekly, weakly accepting the handshake. God I hated these kinds of things.

"Wally tells us so much about you!" he said, then added in a lower, quieter voice "Sometimes it sounds more like he's talking about some girl he likes…"

"UNCLE!" Wally wailed, face beet red.

"Shoot, it's too much fun to get you going! That's what your problem is alright!" his uncle whooped, laughing loudly. I would've laughed too, but I was too busy being a socially awkward Piplup.

And if I was a Piplup, that was only the tip of my iceberg.


	2. Meeting The Folks

**The 'Heterosexual' Adventures of Wally and Ruby**

**Ch 2: Meeting the Folks**

**-Stupid, redundant disclaimer about how I hardly have two nickels to rub together here-**

* * *

"Anyways, Ruby-nii, I have a question that a REAL trainer like you would know over my uncle." Wally said, looking intently at me.

"He's gonna tell you the same thing, just watch you little squirt!" His uncle said, laughing.

"Nu-uh!" Wally cried, before turning back to me, expression becoming determined…even though it was still damn adorable no matter what he did. He took a single Pokeball off of his waist and tossed it down, revealing his Ralts. "D-do you think we could beat Wattson?" Wally said, fidgeting and allowing his expression to falter. His Ralts had grown quite a bit, a couple of inches taller and its horns larger, and a deeper shade of red. It looked very happy to see me as it ran up to hug my leg. But with the things I had heard and studied about Wattson, he probably couldn't beat him…Ralts was adorable, but not very strong as a Pokemon, especially if Wally was never on a proper journey. But I had no idea how to tell him that…. So I told him without really knowing what the heck I was saying.

"You won't be able to." The words tumbled out harshly, and I quickly regretted it, wishing I were better with this troublesome "talking" mess so I could tell him more gently.

"R-really? Even you think so?" Wally's voice became scratchy and he began to choke up. "But I worked so hard…didn't I tell you how much I wanted to be a real trainer?" Tears began to form in the corner of his eyes. I panicked at the sight of them and mentally kicked myself, feeling like such a huge jerk even though the only real problem was that Wally was honestly far too much of a baby to be 14.

"W-well uh..Wattson is..strong..and..you only have Ralts and uh…" I really wasn't being reassuring at all.

"Fine! Then battle me!" Wally said, tears streaming down his face. Ralts looked up at him and assumed the toughest pose it could manage, which mostly just looked adorable, its empathic abilities giving me a feeling of loyalty and a decent amount of completely unimposing determination.

"Okay.." I said with uncertainty, sending out Electrike. She was my weakest so far, and I found her close to Slateport, slightly sluggish and pudgy from handouts and garbage, making for an easy catch. Still, she had a great personality, and seemed quite young and eager. Her skill in procuring said handouts and garbage also indicated a sly, crafty side, which was a very welcome trait.

"Well?" I said

"You're on!" Wally said, doing his best to look determined…except all he really did was look up at me with those big, teary, green eyes and make my heart get kind of mushy and my face flush a bit.

"Gah, kid, don't look at him like that, you're embarrassing yourself as a trainer!" His uncle shouted. He must have noticed the stupid blush his stupidly cute nephew made me do.

"Um…I'll try!" Wally said, wiping his face and blushing back at me, obviously pretty embarrassed. He tried to hide it with a scowl, but it wasn't doing much good. Brushing it off to the best of my ability, I spoke.

"You can go first…" Quietly and hesitantly, that offer left my lips.

"Oh, thanks!..Uh, so…Ralts….Confusion!" Wally said, and the little helmet wearing tablecloth beside him complied, quickly flinging my Electrike about two stories up into the air and then slamming it into the ground. She yelped in pain, fur sparking with anger as she got up.

"Quick." I commanded, short for Quick Attack. The 'Attack' part just feels kind of superfluous, I guess. Immediately, Electrike shot forward in a greenish-yellow blur, but just before she did I added "Thunder Wave."

Before Ralts could even register the first hit, it was zapped.

Hunched and sparking, Ralts couldn't even move, it fell to its knees with a small whimper

"Ralts!" Wally gasped out, hands covering his face….what a girly reaction.

"Paralyzed. Stop?" I responded simply, not in the mood to talk much while I was battling. It's NOT a free action, fuck cartoons.

"No!" Wally said, as Ralts struggled back to its feet.

"Quickleer." I commanded. Electrike gave a threatening snarl with a light yellow glow momentarily coming from its eyes. As Ralts fell backwards from it, Electrike smashed into it once again. It was knocked a good five feet back, coming to a skidding halt, leaving a red scrape wound on its arm and a bruise on its torso. It was hunched over a good deal and having much trouble moving.

"Stop." I commanded as Wally opened his mouth again, and he listened.

"Ah, Ralts, to think I was going to make you fight in that gym when I can't even win now! I'm so sorry!" He said, hugging it as it stroked his arm apologetically.

"Here." I said, spraying Potion and Paralyz Heal on the poor little helmed napkin. It gasped and flinched due to the initial sting before the bruise and the wound both began to fade away, skin regrowing and becoming a flawless white once more. It was always fascinating to watch it all disappear before your very eyes.

Ralts quickly realized I had helped it and leapt forwards me, squealing with glee.

"That was really something boy, you've got a real talent on your hands!" Wally's uncle shouted, before his eyes suddenly widened. "Say….you…you wouldn't happen to be the kid on the news who chased those weird people in that stupid blue garb out of the museum down in Slateport and helped out Devon Corp., would you?" He said, voice hushed and slightly awed.

"I-I was on the news?" I blanched, feeling quite uncomfortable and self-conscious.

"Of course you were! Wally was glued to the screen! I remember just fine now!" He said, laughing loudly. "Why don't you stop by, you'd be some great company!" Not like I could refuse, he snapped my wrist up with a grip that probably contained the strength of several Hariyama and started walking towards where they presumably lived. It was an awkward hour-long walk where I had to reluctantly tell him I'd prefer he let go of me and answer a few questions about my Pokémon and what my journey had been like. I did my best to answer with multiple words and some form of interest in the conversation...I really did. Luckily, they lived nearly on the edge of the small town, so it wasn't as long or awful as it had it be.

But with the clean, natural wilderness of the route we passed through and the town's minimal industry and presence of motor vehicles, I definitely noticed why Wally was doing so much better now.

"This air is..wonderful…" I finally said as we neared the house, almost wishing I could burst out giggling. It had a very fresh and mildly sweet taste. I felt… so alive, alert, and aware. It was even a great improvement over small, quiet Littleroot, and by logical extension, vastly better than the stale, smoky, congested air of Goldenrod. It had such a quaint, lovely feel…intoxicating, even.

"Isn't it though?" Wally said, smiling broadly. I sent out all of my Pokémon, not wanting them to miss out.

"Ah, good timing, we're here!" Wally's uncle said, looking up at an impressively large house, at least for a small place like Verdanturf. It was just one floor and ranch style, but it's length and width easily surpassed the few other homes I'd seen on the way.

"I'm home!" Wally called, opening the door

"We brought a nice visitor! A little quiet though!" His uncle said happily, nearly grabbing me again, but I dodged skillfully and quickly followed willingly to avoid his murderous grip.

"Oh, it's the cute boy from the news! And his cute little Pokémon friends!" A woman around the age of Wally's uncle squealed. Breloom sneered at being called cute, while Marshstomp blushed and buried its head in its hands. Electrike ran up and gave her attention demanding headbutts, and Aron hid behind me as well as it could.

"This is Ruby-nii!" Wally chirped cheerfully, putting a hand on my shoulder. "And this is my aunt!"

"N-nice to meet you." I said, blushing slightly and wondering who the hell introduces someone with a nickname...then again, he has supposedly already been telling them _All about me..._

"Likewise. Would you like some tea dear? " She said with glee, but she suddenly seemed to realize something, gasping slightly. "…Oh my, you've been on a challenging, exciting journey and it's nearly supper time, I can't be so stingy! Stay, stay! We're going to be having something wonderful! Even for all your Pokémon"

"Y-you don't have to." I struggled to say, trying hard to not accidentally seem rude. After the whole 'I insist' deal, I was asked a variety of questions about what I had done so far, and I filled everyone in as best I could, becoming more comfortable bit by bit.

"And that's why I caught Aron instead of Makuhita." I finished, Wally looking goofily impressed with a massive grin and Aron looking very flattered, while the others had varying looks of interest as well…although Wally's aunt was cooking while listening, Breloom was dozing off, and Electrike often cast looks of longing towards what Wally's aunt cooked.

Electrike turned out to just be doing what everyone was thinking, I was sure that at least my Pokémon and me were hungry and when the food came everyone jumped it like a starved pack of Houndoom.

By Arceus and its grandiose domain, no wonder Wally's uncle was a heavier sort of guy and Wally got to a healthier weight. That woman could cook like…I'm afraid to make a simile; I don't want to ruin it. All I knew was that Marshstomp had my permission to slide it's cold, slimy hands across my skin whenever it saw me dozing off, and it had to make good use of that as I sat on the couch, stuffed, drowsy and ashamed I even ate so much of an almost-stranger's food.

"Looks like someone misses good home cooked meals." Wally's uncle said, laughing.

"I used to just eat a lot…a lot of…simple stuff and fast food because we didn't have much money…" I said, holding back gas and trying not to look as full and uncomfortable as I really was.

"So, how does that compare?" Wally's aunt asked, smiling broadly.

"I-it…I-it doesn't compare to this at all, ma'am." I said, blushing.

"Now that you're nice and placated, we've got a pretty important question, Ruby." Wally's uncle said, seriously.

"Yeah?" I said, curious.

"Well, Wally's growing up so fast…And making leaps and bounds in his health and recovery…I bet he could leave this place and finally be a Trainer like he's always wanted…He's told you he has, hasn't he?" I nodded.

"So, to save us all time, we'd all like to know if you'd want Wally as a traveling partner." He finished, looking up at me. His eyes were a darker, mossier green than Wally's, and hardly a match for them. I blanched, not quite believing my luck and simultaneously drowning in nerves. What kind of heartless madman wouldn't want this cutie to admire 24/7? Yes, I am aware it sounds creepy, overly lustful, and weird, but it's not literally 24/7, I wasn't ever planning on watching him in his sleep! …Now shut the hell up. I'm serious, I know you're laughing.

"O-of course…" I gasped out, momentarily forgetting my fullness from the excitement.

"Yay!" Wally cheered, hugging me tightly. "I'll do whatever you say and try my very best to not get on your nerves, I super-duper promise forever!" Wally said, gushing like a little kid.

"I'll look after him." I said simply, blushing.

"We're counting on you!" Wally's aunt said with a smile. But after this bit of exciting news, not much happened for the rest of the day. I fought off an absolutely relentless food coma for about another hour and a half and figured it was about time to leave, when they suddenly allowed me to have a modest but rather cozy looking guest bedroom. Already exhausted, I could hardly make a polite argument. The room was nothing special, but it was plenty better than the 'anyone could've been in here' feeling of a Pokémon Center or sleeping outside. I returned all my Pokémon and passed out without further incident.

* * *

I woke up unusually refreshed and in good spirits, a quick glance at my PokéNav showing it was hardly past 5:30 AM. The sun had just started to consider rising and the room was still fairly dark. My eyes suddenly widened as I realized I had performed the dreaded and often fatal 'Wake up first in a strange house' maneuver. I suddenly felt a lot more on edge. Doing some sort of odd, drowsy tiptoe shuffle, I decided it was best to just leave quietly and come back in a little while when everyone had woken up. But as I walked down the dark hallway to get to the door, Wally suddenly burst out of a doorway to my right. Okay, it wouldn't have been so sudden if I had been paying attention to how a soft light framed the door, and the faint sound of a TV could be heard now that the door was wide open, but I was just trying to get the hell out of there. But thanks to my failure to take in crucial details, I practically jumped through the ceiling.

"Arceus!" I hissed in a hushed voice.

"Oh, uhm, did I scare you?" Wally asked quietly. No shit. And guess what, I am not even going to be totally lame and tell him no just to seem a tiny bit braver and cooler…Except that's exactly what I did.

"No, of course not." I said, immediately adjusting my posture to look less afraid.

"Liiiiaaar~" Wally said in a sing-song voice.

Yeah, that's exactly what I did…and it didn't even work. Smooth, me, really smooth.

"S-so what?!" I snapped defensively, although I still remembered to use my hushed voice.

"Just come in and sit down, you're just gonna get bored if you wander around this early." Wally said, pulling me in to his room. It wasn't too big or nice or anything either, obviously a guest room before he'd arrived. But something about how it belonged to him now, and had his own personal touch, made it much nicer. I sat down on his bed, all of the sheets, pillows and blankets shades of green, the main blanket adorned with Poké Balls to boot. I tried not to show that I was working out a good distance to sit from him, knowing that would be phenomenally odd to explain, but I had to get it just right. Too far meant I had a problem with him or something, too close was just creepy…and gay. After I worked out the middle ground, I relaxed a bit.

"So.." Wally said after he stared at the TV screen for a few seconds. Nothing was on right now and he knew it. He smirked a little, then went on. "Were you trying to leave or were you trying to steal leftovers? I saw how you ate last night you know. Keep that up and you're gonna have to go shopping before we leave!" He teased, playfully poking my stomach. "Are you still a little full…or is that something else?" He said before letting out a surprised yelp as I poked back. We were both still thin, but I blushed a bit nonetheless.

"You stop it." I responded playfully, poking again.

"You!" he said, now starting to tickle me. I inhaled sharply, trying to hold back, but unfortunately my stomach is a weak spot.

"You!" I shot back, returning his tickling torment. Lucky me, he was just as bad as I was. We rolled around on the bed, laughs and shouts escalating. After dealing with how unexpectedly flexible he was for several minutes, I had pinned him and was preparing to deliver a winning attack…

Then we saw someone who made us both freeze….and a few seconds too late at that. There, standing in the doorway, was Wally's aunt, with a thoroughly shocked expression upon her slightly wrinkled, au naturel face. Eyes wide and mouth agape, all she could do was stare. In hindsight, it's hilarious, but at that moment it was absolutely terrifying due to all the things I knew both of us knew she was thinking.

Wally was partially sitting up against the wall, arms pinned above his head with one of my hands while the other had ventured beneath his shirt to deliver direct tickling punishment...Oh Arceus, when had I done that? He was panting, a bit sweaty, beet red in the face, and I must've had the weirdest look on my face even though I wasn't as tired. Overall, it was so suggestive I just wished the bed would come to life and eat me alive.

"You boy-…You can't jus-…What are you even….I…I…WALLY!" She stammered as we looked at her like deer caught in headlights, taking a few seconds to realize we should probably get out of the odd position and separate innocently.

"Y-yes ma'am?" Wally said, obviously terrified out of his mind.

"If…If you…got a..boyfriend…that's FINE, I understand that times are changing and I'm an accommodating woman who knows all too well how it is when you really miss someone…but...please, please, PLEASE TELL ME FIRST BEFORE YOU BRING HIM INTO THE HOUSE AND DO THIS KIND OF THING WITH HIM!" She screamed, looking like she was ready to kill him.

"WHAT?!" Wally's uncle shouted, suddenly popping in next to her before we could say a single word. "Why you sly, dirty little devils, thinking you can sneak your shit past us…" He snarled.

"But-" Wally started.

"You be quiet, you sneaky little bastard, thinking you can pass this corrupting deviant off as this shy little friend of yours! I don't care if he flew to the goddamn moon on a Tailow's back, how dare you two do anything like this so soon in your li-" He was suddenly cut off as Wally's aunt firmly placed a hand on his shoulder as she caught me in the middle of one of my worst habits…When I'm nervous or afraid, I shake like a leaf. Incidentally, that bout of shouting had been just the thing to set me off.

She set warm, understanding, chocolate-brown eyes on me, smiling gently. I relaxed slightly, hesitantly meeting her gaze.

"There's been a misunderstanding here, hasn't there?" She said warmly, placing a single hand on top of my hat. I nodded, still tense and afraid. "You've got a body that can't lie and eyes that can't hide, young man." She said knowingly, smiling at me. I didn't know exactly how to answer, but I tried my best to relax.

"Then what the hell was this all about?" Wally's uncle said in an angry, demanding voice.

"It was a tickle fight." Wally said simply. "And it was my fault, I'm sorry."

"Well then…I shoulda known! A wimp like you and a shivering mess like him…ohoho, ain't no way in a million years…" He was interrupted by a sharp elbow to his side from Wally's aunt.

"Shush!" She said.

Well, I can definitely say this was a very interesting reunion.

* * *

**Awww yeah, Chapter 2...SO THE ACTUAL JOURNEY IS NEXT CHAPTER. PROMISE.**


	3. Having Fun With Wattson

**The 'Heterosexual' Adventures Of Wally and Ruby**

**Ch 3: Having Fun With Wattson**

**Lol u guise Bug (Me) doesn't ownz anyfing.  
Oh, and in this chapter the first written gym battle takes place, so as a heads up I'm using the Emerald teams (but up to date movesets for what can be learned by that level) Enjoy.**

* * *

After the big tickle fight commotion, Wally and I spent the rest of the morning being much quieter and less physical… (No, the fact it was less physical does not frustrate me. I thought I told you to stop laughing!)

We mostly goofed off and prepared to go on our journey together…Or at least Wally did. After a quick jump in their shower (You should just imply that I asked first, come on.) and making sure I tended to my teeth, I was all set and just sat on the floor in front of the TV in his room, waiting on him to leave the bathroom. His Ralts passed the time with my Pokémon, they all sat in a circle on his bed and talked about who knows what, giggling and laughing every now and then. It was quite uneventful and a bit boring, at least until I felt a very peculiar tingling, grasping sensation all over my body. As the sensation became stronger and began to feel like forceful pulling, I gasped loudly as I realized I was being dragged without anyone actually grabbing me.

I looked around frantically, grabbing onto the bedpost, only to feel the sensation suddenly focus on my hands, forcing them to let go. I felt a shiver run down my spine as it left my hands and raced along my body, concentrated on my right ankle, and hoisted me into the air by it.

"W-what's going on?!" I screamed, struggling uselessly as the mysterious force kept an incredible grip on my ankle.

"Ruby-nii!?" Wally shouted, running in with only a towel wrapped around his waist and his aunt and uncle racing in after him.

"What in the…" Wally's uncle started, before looking back at something behind me and scowling.

"Oh..oh my…" Wally's aunt said, looking like she was going to burst out laughing.

I turned around as best I could, only to get an upside-down view of a certain green-helmed napkin staring down at me from on top of the bed, an odd blue glow emanating from beneath the green helmet. Its mouth was twisted into an absolutely demented scowl, and I could feel the anger and malice radiating off of it.

"Ralts! Bad! You stop right now little missy!" Wally shouted. How could something so evil be a girl?

Ralts glanced at him and unceremoniously dropped me. I ended up sprawled out awkwardly between the bed and the TV stand as Ralts carefully ensured nothing was toppled over from the force of my impact. I hit my head rather hard on the bedpost on the way down, too. Vicious little napkin. Ralts then gracefully jumped onto my stomach, turned around, and began violently shaking a white, lightweight object in front of me. After a moment of thought, I realized why this had all just happened with a groan.

Ralts was holding a tissue. Whenever I had wondered about Wally and his Ralts on my journey so far, there had been plenty of times I referred to her (Wally had just said so, as much as I'd like to keep saying 'it') as a helmed napkin, tablecloth, or tissue. Right in front of my Pokémon. Way to tell on me, you guys.

Ralts made all sorts of little angry, high-pitched chirps and grunts before stuffing the tissue into my mouth and using her abilities to get the rest of the tissue box from the dresser on the side of the bed and hurl it into my face. She then jumped off and sat with its back to me in a corner, grunting and mumbling. Her hatred and vitriol was still frighteningly abundant.

"Ralts, what was all that about?" Wally said, carefully stepping past me to get to the little demon wipe as I started to pick myself up.

Ralts retrieved another tissue from the box on my chest and waved it around before pointing at herself, then balled it up and threw it on the ground, stamping it several times in anger as she shook her head furiously.

"Don't worry; I don't think you're a tissue. I think you're wonderful and Ruby-nii is just jealous!" Wally said, understanding what Ralts had tried to tell him. He carefully sat down and put Ralts in his lap, holding her close with a hug. Almost immediately, the frightening amount of negativity in the room became warm and elated…although it also had a sizable amount of triumph, gloating, and condescension, all of which seemed to be directed at me. She sat there blushing and squealing happily, looking like the most content little bastard of a Kleenex ever. I could only glare in silent agony as she cuddled up against Wally's naked chest like it was the best thing in the world.

"Wow, you're so affectionate! You must want me to pay more attention to you!" He said, holding her closer and putting her face against his. I turned away and did my best to control the temperature of my burning face. That evil napkin bitch knew damn well I was a jealous wreck, and she loved it.

* * *

After that whole embarrassing incident, Wally was able to finish getting ready and preparing without a hitch. Even breakfast managed to go by with relative safety, since I was fully aware of how delicious it would be this time, and I was very wary of the loathsome little napkin staring at me the whole time. Still, when I tried to wipe my face with a napkin she snatched it and ripped it to shreds with telekinesis.

She was right by his side as we said our last goodbyes while taking our first steps out the door together.

"You be careful you two." Wally's uncle said, taking a good, stern look at both of us

"Call every once in a while! Come back and visit any time! Ruby, don't neglect your own mother either! Make sure Wally takes his medicine!" Wally's aunt continued to prattle on about less important things as I glanced and nearly grimaced at Wally's green Ralts themed bag, full of a ridiculous amount of hygiene products and medicines, among other things. I didn't dare tell them to ease up a little, but it was definitely excessive. And worse yet, these newer bags were just energy-based storage, so they didn't bulge at all and always felt rather light. He'd never be reminded that perhaps he was carrying too much junk around.

Before I knew it, we were well on our way, already back on Route 117.

"Do you have a bike? Way faster if we use those." I said, not looking forward to an hour of awkwardness. Route 117 is hardly even a route and Verdanturf is hardly a town in its own right, but it'd still be… weird… I wasn't exactly sure why it'd be so different from the first time we met and we were alone together, it just sort of… would be…

_"He's a hell of a lot better looking now."_ my mind suggested. I tried to stop right there, but it kept going "_And now you like him a hell of a lot more, don't you?" _it continued, but I finally managed to make it shut up and stop being so right about my feelings.

"Well, actually, it's a funny story…" he said, blushing slightly.

"What is?" I said, looking at him curiously.

"I…don't know how to ride a bike. Ahahaha…." he said, smiling in a weak, embarrassed fashion.

"Huh…" I said, silently very surprised he hadn't learned something so basic. But I added "Why not? I definitely remember you packing one." as innocently as possible so I wouldn't make him feel too embarrassed.

"I wasn't able to go outside much…no one bothered to teach me, they didn't think I could handle it. But my aunt from the other side of the family got me one anyways, so why not pack it in case I learn someday?" he explained awkwardly.

"So…uh..d-do you want to ride on the back of mine?" I suggested, mentally cursing at the stutter. Luckily, I had chosen an Acro Bike, so pegs came with it. Ralts glared at me, projecting a feeling of 'I am definitely not okay with this'.

"Uh, okay…I've watched people do it, so I bet I can…" he said, as we both put our helmets on. (Author: Because goddamnit I am tired of the game character parading around with no helmet like a crash would never even consider happening.) I got the bike out, got on, and started to slowly pedal. A shiver went up my spine as he grabbed my shoulders and I felt his added weight on the pegs.

"D'you have a good grip?" I said quickly, nearly slurring the words as I resisted the urge to shake. He was only grabbing my shoulders, why the hell was I so nervous?

"One minute…" he said as he returned Ralts to her Pokéball. I was secretly very glad she was going to have nothing to do with this. "Okay." He said, as I hesitantly started to pedal faster. Once the initial nervousness (which included Wally jumping off 3 times) was over, it wasn't so bad. We managed to get back to Mauville in 30 minutes.

* * *

"Well, I guess I should face Wattson, I didn't plan on wasting time... Do you want to watch or just meet up with me somewhere?" I said, not sure if I wanted him to leave or stay. If I won, I'd impress him and gain favor with the spiteful napkin resting in a Pokéball at the moment… . If I lost I'd be forever taunted by a living napkin with a helmet and Wally would be pretty disappointed too.

"Of course I'll watch! It'll be amazing!" he squealed, smiling ear to ear. Well, that was that. No backing out now. Fortunately, the gym and most Pokémon relevant buildings were to the west of the city, around where we entered from Route 117, so it was rather quick and easy to find the gym.

After a rather simple puzzle, and a couple of gym trainers for practice, we reached Wattson.

"Wahahahah! Hello there you two! I'm Wattson, not that you needed me to tell you that!" Wattson said as we approached him, smiling widely.

"H-hello, I'd like a battle…" I stammered, wishing I could just go ahead and make a challenge without being so awkward for once.

"Battle? Of course, why hesitate?!" He said excitedly, then suddenly pointed at Wally, who was standing behind me. "You! Over there, if you don't mind!" He said, pointing to a set of bleachers that suddenly began to come out of the wall.

"Woah! Cool!" Wally said, excitedly running over to the bleachers. A few of the gym trainers followed him.

"How did you…" I started, looking over at them.

"I've got a voice activated switch on my knee! If you say you want a challenge you've got it! Wahahahah!" he said, pointing to a small bulge on his left knee underneath his brown pants. That was definitely new. I trembled a little, thinking of what else I wouldn't expect… and wondering why he was so loud when I was right here. Must be hard of hearing in his old age…he could stand to diet too, but I digress.

The floor suddenly opened up as well, revealing a fully marked arena against smooth, nearly immaculate reflective yellow tiles. I raised an eyebrow, which he managed to catch…impressive for someone so old-looking.

"That floor is a lot tougher than it looks, I'll have you know! League certified! Now, let's get this circuit flowing!" By some miracle or coincidence, a judge ran out onto the sidelines from practically out of nowhere as he said that. Since I had 4 Pokémon, it would be 4 on 4. With the blow of a whistle, the battle began.

* * *

"Marshtomp!" I called out, throwing his Pokéball filled me with a rush of confidence, I was well aware I had an excellent advantage.

"Go, Magneton!" He shouted, as the odd metallic creature appeared before me…Odd, wasn't Magneton even weaker to Ground with a part Steel typing? I tried to push that aside, having no idea what he was planning.

"Magnet Bomb!" Wattson called. With incredible speed, Magneton formed a silver orb in its center and fired it at Marshtomp.

" Intercept with Water Gun!" I cried, knowing that evasion was futile. Marshtomp fired, but it was already so close it exploded, managing to splash water on me and make Marshtomp stagger.

"Supersonic!" Wattson commanded, taking advantage of the lowered guard. Before I could react, Marshtomp was holding its hands..fins..whatever to its head in great displeasure.

"Mud Shot!" I shouted, hoping the attack hadn't managed to confuse him. He spun around a couple of times before weakly shooting a stream of mud in front of himself and then sliding down it, mud still coming from his mouth as he managed to harmlessly pass Magneton and coast to a stop in a random spot to the left of the arena. I groaned quietly, that wasn't what I was expecting at all.

"Magnet Bomb while it's off in its own world! Wahahahah!" Wattson said excitedly, as Magneton managed to easily fire the attack directly towards Marshtomp's back.

"Marshtomp!" I cried out as the attack connected, exploding and leaving Marshtomp significantly bruised and bloodied, lying in partially caked and dried mud completely motionless. "…Return" I said, fighting back the urge to begin shaking as Marshtomp…

Rolled away from the beam, then got up and landed a full strength Mud Shot right in Magneton's face. None of us could believe what we were seeing as Magneton shot clear across the gym, giving frantic screeches and beeps of surprise as it sailed through the air. It crashed into the floor with loud clang, clearly knocked out. (The floor was still flawless though.) Marshtomp, still obviously whacked out of his mind, cackled maniacally as he flipped the bird at Magneton and passed out. Ralts was now lying next to Wally, rolling with laughter. From the scolding Wally gave her, it was pretty obvious she told Marshtomp to do it. (On a side note, Wally was still lacking forcefulness or real impact in his scolding.) Damn Pokémon and their personal language.

"Magneton, err… oh, return!" Wattson called out, still in slight disbelief. "Hoo boy, didn't see that coming! Pokémon can be just like little kids sometimes, never know what they might learn!" He said, making me thankful he was giving me the benefit of the doubt.

"Return." I said, which went over without anything odd happening that time. "Breloom!" I called out immediately after Marshtomp was safely in his ball. Breloom narrowed his eyes and immediately took a fighting stance, ready for anything. He had to be the most serious and composed mushroom dinosaur I'd ever met. ...He was the only mushroom dinosaur I'd ever met, but that's not the point. Stop laughing.

"Voltorb!" Wattson called out. The living Pokéball materialized with the usual intense glare of its species, completely prepared for what was to come.

"Mach Stun!" I ordered, a combination of Mach Punch and a Stun Spore. I knew quite well that Voltorb are speedy little bastards, and one belonging to a gym leader would be no exception. In one blinding strike, a flash of bluish white connected with red within a cloud of mustard yellow. Voltorb was knocked 10 feet away, covered in yellowish dust. Although not very effective biologically on a largely inorganic Pokémon, Voltorb's delicate internal structure was definitely susceptible. It spun and rolled around frantically, trying to remove the spores, but all it did was get more clogged up in itself. Upon realizing it was only making it worse, it became erratic and frantic, giving out cries of distress and anger as steam and smoke started to slip out of its body. The air around it started to shimmer and surprisingly loud sounds of whirring and clicking could be heard coming from inside of it. With a start, I realized what was about to happen, and so did Wattson.

"Breloom! Get as far away as you can!" I called out, as Breloom turned around and began sprinting towards a far corner without hesitation.

"Here we go…" Wattson said, the usual enthusiasm in his voice now quite lacking as Voltorb suddenly let out a piercing screech and started to glow whitish red.

"Everyone get down NOW!" the referee shouted, crouching as fast as possible. Everyone, including me, swiftly obliged. I felt a white-hot shard of shrapnel dig into my right arm as everything became incredibly bright and insufferably hot for several seconds, before dying down. I cautiously looked up with my heart pounding furiously in my chest as the shard embedded in my arm flew out and skittered over to a still partly destroyed Voltorb, seamlessly fusing with its wrecked body along with a random assortment of other bits, pieces, and gears from various places. Looking around, I noted with mixed annoyance, relief, and pain that I seemed to be the only one who got injured. And of course, the floor looked untouched.

"Ruby-nii!" Wally screamed, racing down from the podium towards me with stunning speed. Ralts simply pouted and crossed her arms, turning away from us. A nurse was there almost immediately after him, smiling gently.

"Your friend will be fine, the fragments are so hot he won't bleed all that much and I'm here for whenever this happe-" she was interrupted by Wally's frantic voice.

"I've got this! I've got this!" Wally cried in minor panic, suddenly pulling out a fully loaded first aid kit and some Rawst Berries from his bag, then firmly grasping my wrist with surprising strength (must be a family thing) and looking around frantically. "Water! Water!" he cried, looking somewhat deranged and far too desperate. After some kind directions from the nurse, he was pulling me towards the bathroom as fast as he could with the nurse following us.

* * *

"That… that's the exact way it's done… " the nurse said with surprise, looking at the bandages in astonishment as we all stood in the gym's family restroom after my wound had been entirely treated

"I've studied lots of first aid, my parents said it would be useful if I was ever going to go on a journey…" Wally said shyly, blushing a bit.

"I can see that! Well, if you want, you're all set to get back into the battle, just take it easy and stay back from the action. Very nice work, young man." the nurse said, her gentle smile was right back on her face.

"Thanks!" Wally said, smiling back.

"…Thanks." I said it to Wally instead, blushing slightly. I had no idea he was so knowledgeable about that sort of thing.

"It's no big deal, I just want to be useful however I can…" Wally said, before giving me a surprisingly strong hug. When the hell did his strength pick up like that? "Good luck!"

"Y-yeah…" I said, turning away to hide the radiant blush forming on my face and stiffly heading back to face Wattson.

* * *

"Sorry about that…" Wattson said, laughing. "You know, that actually doesn't happen very often… Voltorb is trained better, especially when it comes to Selfdestruct. So, here you go, for your trouble! Wahahahah!" Wattson said, throwing a small, shiny, yellow object at me. With a small gasp or surprise, I managed to catch it, and I quickly recognized it as the Dynamo Badge.

"So I can just…" I started, staring at it.

"Of course you can! And your Breloom is just fine over in that corner, so stopping now means that you technically did win. Electrifying while it lasted! Wahahahah!" Wattson said, as he came closer and Breloom ran over to me, giving me a dutiful nod before standing perfectly still next to me.

"T-thank you…" I said quietly, staring down at the badge. But I looked back up when I heard the pitter patter of small feet, and saw Ralts, quickly approaching us. She seemed angry. Inconsolable, grudge holding, violent ass, animated, stupid helmet wearing, horned napkin…

Wally seemed to sense her boundless potential to forever ruin this moment of our lives and scooped her up, humming something gently and rocking her. She almost immediately calmed down, but I sensed subtle gloating aimed towards me. Two-faced, evil bitch of a hand wipe…

"A badge is a badge, little one! No matter what happens, always support your friends!" Wattson said, nearly breaking into a trademark nothing's-really-funny-but-I'm-gonna-laugh-anyway- laugh, until he was cut off by a strong wave of emotion from Ralts that we could quite clearly interpret as 'Who the hell said that bastard is my friend?!'. Wally rocked her more, calmly quieting her down, while Breloom looked up at her with a stern expression of disapproval. She used to be so much nicer until that whole "napkin" thing…

"And this is for you!" Wattson said, holding up a yellowish disk, which I recognized as a TM. "Shock Wave! Just about never misses, I swear it! In fact, that Ralts your friend has right there can learn it! How about it?"

Personally, I didn't want that loathsome tissue to learn anything, but I definitely saw Wally's enthusiastic "Yes please!" coming.

He pressed it lightly against Ralts's helmet, causing a short burst of yellow light to cover her whole body, and then gave the TM to me. I promptly put it away without another word, my happiness dampened by the fact that the demonic tablecloth was now one step closer to world domination, with me as a throw rug and Wally as a mind controlled 'all purpose' butler.

'All purpose' means exactly what you think it does, but I have nothing to do with whether or not you're vomiting at the thought. You probably are, you sick pervert.

"Can she really use Shock Wave now?" Wally said curiously, as Ralts smiled widely and formed a small arc of electricity between her hands before firing a short lightning bolt at a wall. Her smile became a wicked grin as she clapped excitedly.

"Guess so!" Wattson said, smiling widely.

"Oh, thank you!" Wally said, smiling back as I simply looked awkwardly back towards the exit, not sure what to do.

"Well, you be safe now you two! Wahahahah!" Wattson said, as we returned our Pokémon and started to leave.

* * *

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Wally said, turning towards me as we walked away from the gym.

"Forgot wha-" I was answered by a tight hug.

"Congratulations!" Wally cried, giggling as I once again blushed luminously. I could definitely get used to this.

* * *

**WELP. THAT'S THAT.**

…I do plan to give all the main Pokémon fully demonstrated personality as the story continues, not just limit it to Ralts being a prick towards Ruby and making him jelly of her. Or short hinting/description of what everyone is like, since this IS Pokémon, not just "hurr durr kawaii teenagers fall in luv and fite wif da soupernatural soul lakking mawnsters"

Speaking of that, the next chapter will explain exactly why Ralts is such a jerk, and Sapphire (simply May by a different name here) should be making an actual appearance. This is getting fun. :D


	4. Making Mistakes

**Ch 4: Making Mistakes**

**I'M SORRY I HARDLY KNOW WHAT TO NAME THESE CHAPTERS. FKJFA.  
Disclaimer: I now only have two halves of a nickel to rub together.  
I have nothing to do with Clannad.**

**WOW THIS TOOK A LONG TIME, I'M TERRIBLE. **

**Like seriously, I haven't even been really busy or anything, I have lots of time to write. I just don't, and I'm sorry akdfjkjkj**

It had been a couple of hours since I had won the Dynamo Badge, and with the initial thrill wearing off, it suddenly wasn't all pecha berries and cream. Thanks to a certain stupid crush on a certain green-haired travel companion, I was under the impression I was going to have to be at my best to get him to like me back… And that gym battle definitely wasn't me 'at my best'. More like me winning because of an embarrassing accident and having to walk away looking like I almost died in there. (Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, but you get the idea.) Normally, according to just about every romance related form of media I've ever seen, that would be a great chance to make up a badass story and make it work for you, but Wally saw exactly what happened, and just how lame it was.

During that moment of reflection, I resolved to change. No more slipups. I was going to be straight edge and entirely cool. I would've realized how unrealistic and deluded that idea was immediately, if my thoughts hadn't been interrupted.

"Uh…Ruby-nii?...Ruby-nii-san? Hello?" Wally said softly as he gently shook my shoulder. I definitely didn't jump or yelp or anything before replying. Honest.

"Y-yeah?" I said, swiftly turning to face him. My resolve was already slipping away.

"Oh, well uh, sorry to bother you, but you kinda spaced out…It's your turn to order."

Order? I looked around in a subdued panic, trying not to look too caught off guard. Sure enough, a young, blonde, teenaged waiter was standing there with an obviously forced smile on her face. Her foot tapped lightly as she looked directly at me with eyes that pierced straight into my soul. Begrudgingly, I realized I had agreed we should sit down and get lunch while I was off in daydream land, worried about impressing Wally. Almost immediately, my head filled with panicked thoughts. "_Why the hell did I agree to this?" "Isn't this practically a date?!" "Why do I daydream so deeply, it could practically be played for goddamn comedy! Even some teenager's poorly written comedy!" _Learning from the mistake I had just made, I quickly came back to the real world and ordered. "Uh..chicken fingers and a medium Dr. Pineco?" I stammered, falling back on what I thought was an infallible 'I wasn't listening' order at a place like this. Unfortunately, I quickly learned just how wrong I was.

"Dude, what the hell's your problem, this is like, a place for ice cream and cake…" The waiter deadpanned, with not an ounce of sympathy. I blanched and stared down at the menu as a blush rapidly formed on my face. The words "Momma Miltank's Dessert Café", on a light pink banner being held up by a cartoonish looking Miltank with a goofy smile, were all that met my gaze.

"Ah, I-I'm sorry…d-double scoop chocolate waffle cone, please…" I murmured, although somehow the waiter did manage to hear me.

"Yeah, whatever. If you're interested in telling me what you're on exactly, lemme know." the waiter said, scribbling down a number on a napkin and handing it to me before walking away. She sounded entirely serious about it, I could hear the hopeful inflection in her flat, bored voice. On top of that, she was apparently so intrigued she forgot to take our menus. I pushed it out of the way and slammed my face down onto the table, groaning and waiting for the burning feeling in my face to subside. Wally, as an eternally understanding and sympathetic love interest, did what was only natural.

He nearly died laughing.

"Chicken…fingers…" Wally said, beginning to chuckle. "Chicken fingers..at a dessert-only place…" He reminded himself, struggling to hold back his laughter. "Ruby-nii ordered chicken fingers…" At that moment, he completely lost it. "CHICKEN FINGERS!" Wally howled, wheezing and struggling to breathe between almost constant giggling. He began laughing so hard it became mostly silence and shaking mixed in with deep gasps and brief moments of laughter so loud I wondered how so much air could fit in his only recently improved lungs.

"S-stop it!" I said unconvincingly. The embarrassment rendered my voice little more than a whiny squeak.

"Sure thing, _Ruby-sama._" Wally said, as he began snorting with laughter. With every snort, I was filled with hope. I now had the perfect way to redeem myself, a fast, easy method that cooler and more mature than any other way. With not a moment to lose, I put my new plan in action.

"Gosh, Wally…I didn't know you _snort._" I retorted, putting on my best smug smile. Wally quickly stopped laughing and looked up at me, mortified.

"W-well, y-yeah…" He said, fidgeting and playing with his spoon. I pushed the envelope further, that response was nowhere near satisfying enough.

"Aw, we've got ourselves a little Spoink boy! Or maybe a Tepig! Which one are you, little piggy?" I said, my smug smile growing

"Ruby-nii, I swear to Arceus…"

"Oink oink."

"Ruby-nii, please-"

"Oink oink oink!"

"RUBY-NII-SAN-"

"Oinkity oink oooink!" I sang, undaunted by his protests.

"You suck!"

"At least I'm not a _little piggy_"

"At least I have a basic idea of what fucking restaurant I'm in before the waiter comes!" Wally shot back, pouting.

"At least I'm not a _widdle piggy_ who thinks it's better to go to a dessert shop than do the normal and predictable thing and have actual lunch." Wally frowned up even more and glared at me, arms crossed.

"S-so what? You said we could! I just wanted ice cream, is that really so-"

"Aww, _widdle piggy_ wanted ice cream! Isn't that just what you'd expect of a greedy widdle piggy?"

"RUBY-NII-SAAAAN." Wally cried, before looking down at the table and taking on a very distraught appearance. Too worked up to even consider he could be serious, I decided to push even further.

"Aw cheer up, maybe you're right. Maybe you aren't just a little piggy."

"G-good, because-" He started, before I cut him off.

"You should be a _specific _little piggy." I said, smiling.

"Ruby-niiii!" Wally protested, but it was too late.

"Have you ever seen Clannad?" I asked. I knew he probably had, among all the junk he had packed, he had a respectable collection of manga and anime DVDs along with a portable DVD player.

"Yeah…I liked it a lot…" He said, seeming to be aware of exactly where this was going.

"You know, you'd make a great Botan!" I said, smiling widely.

"No I woul-"

"Of course you would, you say? Wow, can't argue with that. From now on, you're Botan!" I proudly declared.

"I-I hate you!" Wally said, as he crossed his arms on the table and burrowed his head into him, grumbling.

"What's that, Botan? All I heard was 'puhi puhi'. " My smug smile was incredibly wide at this point.

"I hate you so much!" Wally moaned as he shifted his head, seemingly in the hopes that he could somehow completely bury it in his arms.

"Now now, it's not my fault you snort, is it?" At that moment, the waiter walked up beside us, holding a plate with a thick, massive slice of fudge with a giant scoop of hot fudge and caramel drizzled vanilla ice cream on top, and a double scoop chocolate waffle cone.

"Snorting? Damn guys, you gotta let me get in on this some time. Seriously, call me." the waiter said, giving another napkin with her number on it to Wally. "Enjoy, you crazy dudes." she said, walking away. After a few seconds of mutual embarrassed silence, I spoke again.

"Got enough dessert there, piggy?" I teased, eyeing the hefty ice cream and cake monstrosity in front of him

"As a matter of fact, no I don't have enough!" Wally said. I looked at him with a confused expression as he got up and walked over to my side of the table. Before I could think of how to react, he grabbed my left wrist. I was holding my ice cream in my left hand, and by the time I fully realized what was happening, it was too late. He gave my ice cream a long, forceful, full-on lick from bottom to top, then quickly sat back down. "H-how's that for being a piggy, jerk!" Wally said, mashing a large chunk of cake into his mouth and chewing vigorously.

I simply stared at my ice cream in silent horror. Oh, that cute little impish bitch… I may not have known where I was at first, but I actually did want that ice cream, goddamnit! Sighing, I sent out Electrike. Without being too rude, she was a bit on the heavy side and no stranger to discarded food. "Here, girl." I said, setting the cone on a plate. Her eyes lit up as she wolfed the ice cream down, she wouldn't have cared even if she had known Wally licked it. She shivered slightly as she looked up at Wally expectantly, tilting her head a little to try and look cuter. "Now now, that's Botan's food. You can't have that." I told her. She tilted her head even more as she looked at me with a confused expression on her face. "I'll explain later." I said, patting her on the head and returning her to her Pokéball. Wally just angrily shoveled in another mouthful.

After about 40 minutes or so, we had paid for our food and left, although things still weren't quite right.

"Ow…ow…ow…" Wally whined, clutching his stomach as we walked towards the Pokémon Center. With my revenge exacted, my feelings were now nothing but guilt and shame. Apparently, Wally had planned to share the rest of that ridiculous thing with me later, but I made him so angry he ate the whole thing. Which was really stupid of him to be honest, but I still felt pretty bad.

"I-I'm sorry…" I said, awkwardly extending a hand towards him.

"Don't touch me!" He snapped, moving about a foot further away from me.

"I'm really sorry…" I said, looking down at my feet.

"Really?" Wally said, looking over at me.

"Of course, I didn't want you to actually get this mad at me." I said sheepishly.

"I shouldn't have laughed at you like that…I didn't know you weren't really paying attention…" Wally said, covering his mouth as a small burp escaped from it.

"So…things are…alright?" I said awkwardly, not even knowing if this was really a fight or just some kind of silly bullshit.

"Of course they are, stupid Ruby-nii." Wally said teasingly, walking closer to me again. As perfectly fitting in some kind of mediocre fanfic it would've been for him to grab my hand or lean against me or something, that's literally all he did. Walk close to me. And I was fine with it…

Or at least I would've been, if Ralts didn't suddenly pop out, looking incredibly frustrated. I didn't even need to verify all the emotion it was radiating.

"Ralts! I told you that you just had to stay quiet for an hour or two just before we went in the –urp- restaurant!" Wally said, scolding the vicious little napkin that was suddenly ruining our bonding.

Ralts turned her head defiantly, and the distinct sound of a small pair of lips smacking could be heard.

"I swear you –urp- watch too much TV…" Wally said with a sigh. Ralts's disposition rapidly changed from sass to concern as she fully realized that Wally wasn't feeling well. Immediately, she ran to his side, clutching his leg possessively as she looked up, straight into my eyes. If the waiter's gaze from earlier pierced into my soul, this gaze violently impaled it with several spears. But since I'm a suave, sassy genius who doesn't afraid of anything, I bravely stared right back. And that's when it happened. That's the exact moment I felt like Regigigas had punched me in the stomach as I flew backwards about 15 feet.

"Ralts!" Wally snapped, as Ralts lifted me 6 feet into the air by the front of my shirt. She hesitated for a moment, and then unceremoniously dropped me. For a moment, I was simply furious, and I honestly wished Wally would just go punt her off of Cycling Road, where she'd hopefully just get swallowed by a Wailmer instead of rise out of the water in a horrifying psychic fury and slaughter us all…but I digress.

That anger subsided when I looked up and saw her, saw the way she held onto Wally and looked at me, regarding me like some ugly pest. It hurt to feel so much disdain directed at me, but at the same time, the air was practically alive with other emotions once I stopped to concentrate. Worry, fear, confusion, hurt…now the hate seemed like more of a byproduct than anything.

I calmly picked myself up and walked over to them, making sure to be as relaxed as possible. Quietly, I asked Wally a question that I realized I should've asked a long time ago. "When we get to the Pokémon Center, or just, I dunno, sometime soon, could you tell me about Ralts? You know what I mean." I was dead serious, what had happened just then was a lot more than natural aggression or twisted humor.

"Yeah, I understand..I'll tell you whatever you want to know." Wally said, sounding rather upset. He picked Ralts up and hugged her while stroking her head, before placing her on his shoulder.

* * *

With Ralts placated, the trip to the Pokémon Center was completed without further incident. Wally made a beeline for the bathrooms as I got us our room. Yeah, that's right, a single room…with a **bunk bed**, you perverts. I bet you were expecting me to pitch a fit over this issue, but when you've got bigger issues on your mind and you've already had an awkward tickle fight with your roommate, it's not that big of a deal, surprisingly enough. "Oh, was that Wally? Is he alright? Goodness, it's always something with that boy." Nurse Joy said, handing me a room key.

"It's okay. Ate too much. Thank you." I said quickly, pocketing the key.

"Ah, good then. And you're the boy from yesterday, the one who helped out Slateport Museum, right? Ruby, is it? That's a gorgeous name, it's like Red, but prettier!"

"That's me." I said simply, not used to being recognized for things…especially not heroics…and I was being compared to RED, of all people. Sure it was simply my name, but to even be mentioned with Red, the cool, talented, practically all-knowing Red, in the same sentence…No, I'd better stop, you're not going to see me get any geekier than I already am. At least not yet.

"Oh, you'd make a marvelous friend for Wally! I'm so glad! You see, he's come here a lot, never even seen him without that Ralts of his… He's very determined, even though he doesn't look like it. You'd have a lot to teach him!" Nurse Joy exclaimed.

"Thank you…" I honestly didn't know what else to say, although I was quite flattered.

"Oh, just take a seat dear, I'm sure your friend will be out in a moment." Nurse Joy said, smiling warmly. Even though it's just their job to be nice to you, I admit I had butterflies in my stomach.

Sure enough, Wally was out in just a moment. Luckily, he hadn't actually thrown up, and he had (way) more than enough medicine to help his stomach out in his bag. He had already returned Ralts as well, so without further hesitation, we went to our room and settled down for a little while. It wasn't really big or fancy or anything, but it was clean and orderly with Pokéball wallpaper, and just furnished enough to give a quaint, cozy feel.

Wally decided it would be best to tell me about Ralts sooner rather than later, so he started up his story almost as soon as we were sitting on the bottom bunk.

* * *

"Well, Ralts is a wonderful Pokémon and all, but when you think about it, Pokémon are just like us in a lot of ways…They can be scared, sad, happy, angry…They can think, plan, dream, remember…They can do it all, really. Just from having Ralts, and watching her talk with your Pokémon and battle I can already tell…They're a whole lot smarter than anyone wants to give them credit for…" He continued, and I stayed silent

"It's kinda scary, really…People know. People must know how deeply their thoughts and feelings go, yet so many of us still call them our pets and regard them all as animals…People pretend there's a gamut, and tell me that Ralts seems so expressive and intelligent to me because of her species, and because she looks so much like a small child or something, but I really don't think that's all there is to it. People just think Pokémon must not know any better, living in the wild and obediently helping and serving humans with all the power they can muster… But I don't think that's true, in any case, ever. I think it's exactly how the Pokémon want it, and everyone's just too arrogant to realize that. So really, even though I'm not entirely sure how you see Pokémon, Ruby-nii, what I'm basically saying is that I don't want you to see this as Ralts being just a Pokémon. I want you to see her as a complete being, and I'm actually encouraging you to use some human judgment… I really want you two to get along, eventually. You saw it yourself, didn't you, Ruby-nii? She doesn't hate you, she just has reasons. Big reasons." I was taken aback by how level and serious Wally was being.

"Go on." I said, eager to hear more.

"Well, I guess this is the most important part of what I'm trying to say. It all started a few months ago, when I was still new here. I was out on Route 117, training with Ralts. We had found a Roselia that was pretty young and weak looking, and we had almost won. Just when Ralts was about to finish it off, it panicked and sent out a crazy Poison Sting, just absolutely all over the place… Back then, I had no idea how to treat Poison Sting…Ralts was fine, you know how Pokémon are, but I got hit too. I thought I would be fine, since I was feeling overconfident from all the progress I'd been making and it was such a young Roselia….But oh dear Arceus, I was anything but fine. We were in a pretty secluded place we had found, where the young Roselia like to hang around. I could barely move, and it was so hard to breathe…It only took a minute. I felt like I was on fire, especially in my chest, but I could hardly do anything but cough. Ralts… oh, Ralts…" Wally's voice began to tremble, and I placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He took a deep breath and continued.

"You should've heard her, I can hardly describe the sounds she made…I wasn't able to hold her or reassure her, I just had to lie there and listen to her scream and rage…And that Roselia too…oh, the screeching and crying…Ralts didn't let it escape…I…I didn't even realize how powerful a Pokémon can really even be until then, Ruby-nii!" He suddenly wrapped his arms around me and nuzzled against me, and I heard sniffling. I wanted him to stop, I didn't want to see him relive such pain, but as if he knew I was about to say something, he started to speak again

"Ripped apart, Ruby-nii. Ripped apart. N-not fainted. Not u-unconscious. Just…dead. Ralts k-killed for me, Ruby-nii….and I could hear more of them coming…M-more Roselia, a lot more…It was so surreal, I just wanted it to stop…I swear I felt them all. It w-was the weirdest thing, I could feel their emotions l-like you can feel Ralts's emotions, a-as clear as day, a-almost like they're yours. I was sobbing so hard even though I could already b-barely breathe; it was like they were all crying through me… Then, it just… s-stopped. It all stopped, b-because of Ralts…R-ralts killed them all. And then I felt all weird and tingly, a-and I was lying on my aunt and uncle's living room floor with Ralts…scream… screaming in tones that w-weren't even… hum- human… That's… that's the first time s-she ever used…T-teleport…" Wally took a few deep breaths, and it helped a little, although they were all sharp and ragged.

"The n-next thing I remember is waking up in a h-hospital bed… it had been over 24 hours since that accident... and when I got better, I had to watch Ralts r-recover. Sure, I was fine, but Ralts had gone so far…She'd used Confusions that were stronger than Psychic, and she was in such a panic the doctors said her Teleport almost killed her… It took a long, painful month, but she got better… Thank goodness Pokémon are so resilient... It's a shame the same isn't true… for humans… or else that… that never would've… none of it would even…" Wally finally gave up, and began crying into my chest. Not just crying, he was bawling, blubbering, sobbing, weeping, going the whole 9 yards. My heart practically shattered into a million pieces as I helped him get into a more comfortable position. I made it so I was sitting up against the head of the bed with him lying against me, still sobbing. I hugged him as hard as I could, and I didn't dare let him go. I don't even know how long I held him like that. Tears ended up running down my face as well, and after what seemed like eternity, I spoke.

"Don't you dare say that last thing you said, ever again." I started, trying to keep my voice together "You're…you're braver than anyone I've ever known… and I'm sorry, Wally. I'm sorry for what happened…I should've told you back then…When we first met, I should've told you that you would have to be careful… Maybe I should've just told you to wait until you get older and learn more… Maybe- "

"Ruby…it's not even your fault. It was…" He took the best deep breath possible for his current condition and sniffled a few times, then cried for a bit longer until he could speak again "It was my mistake…I'm better now…really…I've learned all kind of things about medicine and how Pokémon act, and you're with me…I t-trust you, and so do my parents and my aunt and uncle…Your Pokémon and your parents trust you too. We all trust you Ruby, and this definitely isn't your fault." I felt reassured by his words, but absolutely terrible about how I had thought he was carrying too many things in his bag, and how I thought Ralts was nothing more than an immature grudge holder…It made perfect sense, I would be twice as bad in that scenario.

I was completely overwhelmed by all the new information. I ran it all through my head, along with everything else that had happened recently, hardly able to believe it. I realized Wally had gotten off track and never even exactly said that Ralts was just watching out for him, but the story said it all. It was so much to process that by the time I heard Wally fast asleep, still lying against my chest, wrapped in my arms, I couldn't help but follow his lead.

* * *

**Wow okay, how did it go from funny (at least I hope you thought so) to sad (and I hope that wasn't too much melodrama or anything) like that?**

**Happies and funnies will return in the next chapter, but at least now you know more about Ralts, and the end was pretty shippy, so yeah…**

**Remember Wally's whole experience with Pokémon empathy, it's definitely important.**

**And Chapter 5 will hopefully take nowhere near as long, and begin to reveal the other main ****Pokémon as actual characters rather than walking battling/antics machines. **


	5. Learning Curve

**Ch 5: Learning Curve**

**I told you it'd come faster! (Still slow though, since monthly for a couple thousand subpar words is really lame, and there's still no excuse for my lack of punctuality and self-discipline…)**

**I know I hate it when people never update, but I'm falling into that groove myself… bluh.**

**But then again they're cool authors and I'm just me so who would even care if…I digress.**

**I'm thinking about doing another Pokémon story soon, alongside this one, since I'm on break now and having nothing to do all day should make me write more often. Should.**

**Disclaimer: There is no disclaimer; it just wants to feel useful.**

* * *

I woke up a couple of hours later, yawning and wondering why I felt so much pressure on my torso. I almost gasped audibly as I saw Wally there, still sleeping like a Snorlax. His arms were wrapped around me loosely and his eyes were red and puffy. I resisted the urge to fidget uncomfortably and tried my hardest to continue seeing the situation as something that was purely platonic. It had only happened because Wally was in a vulnerable state, and I happened to be the one who was there to console him at that time. My thoughts lingered on that for a minute or so, partially because it was a legitimate concern, partially because I needed to think about something else other than the growing realization that my crush was laying right on top of me.

As I thought about it, more and more questions and concerns popped up as I remembered what Wally had told me before. "_We all trust you Ruby, and this definitely isn't your fault." _The phrase repeated in my head over and over. How could they trust me? How could Wally possibly be able to keep going? That accident sounded absolutely awful, the kind of thing that stops everyone dead in their tracks. There was nothing so incredibly special about me that would allow me to protect Wally if something that awful happened again. I was good at battling, better than I ever realistically thought I'd be. I gave myself that. But what else was there? I was just a 16-year-old kid, off on a journey to…To do what exactly? Beat the Pokémon League? Come back and tell some cool stories? I thought back to what Wally had told me, feeling incredibly unsure of myself.

What was I really even good for? What was I even trying to get out of all of this? What was Wally still doing this for? Surely, someone like him wouldn't want to put Ralts in harm's way. Wally was sweet, caring, naïve, always concerned, always ready to defend the people he cares for… Meanwhile, I was quiet, pessimistic, lonely, judgmental, and perpetually ignorant of one thing or another even though I tried to put on a competent, experienced act. There was a world of difference, yet Wally decided I was the one who he wanted to follow.

The deeper the gravity of the situation pressed in, the worse I felt. Until then, I never would've thought it'd be possible to be feeling bad with your crush lying on top of you, but somehow I managed to do it. Fear began to grip me as doubts sprung up one after the other. As if they were persistent weeds, every time I tried to deal with them, they would quickly return worse than ever. How was I supposed to do anything if wild Pokémon decided to lose their minds and unleash hell on us? What was I supposed to do to comfort Wally if he was ever feeling down again? He told me about a traumatic experience and my only real contribution was adding my own insecurity so he had to be the one doing the reassuring. Sure I had physically been there, but he would've been better off telling Breloom in that case. Breloom will listen to practically anything, and on top of that he'll pat your head and give you a light dusting of Sleep Powder to help you relax. Then there I was, just lying beneath him with three badges and not an ounce of motivation more to do whatever the hell I had planned to do when I first left home. I spaced out in the middle of a restaurant and hadn't even able to make a Ralts like me yet, how the hell was I supposed to make sure Wally and I both safely obtained 8 badges and entered the league? I took a deep sigh, trying to stay calm. I was not going to let this get me down. I just needed a distraction, something comforting that would be able to divert my attention…

My right hand already seemed to have an idea of what that could be. As if I weren't even controlling it, it slowly rose up and buried itself into Wally's abundant green hair. It sort of reminded me of grass, or Electrike's fur, but as I absentmindedly felt it, that wasn't the texture at all. It was soft and smooth, much better than petting Electrike. Her fur was tough and bristly, and I often risked accidental shocking. This, on the other hand, was gentle and comforting. My other arm wrapped more tightly around Wally, embracing his slim figure. I wasn't even entirely aware of what I was doing; all I was aware of was that I was beginning to feel better. But unfortunately, Wally was a sleeping human being, not a doll or pillow. And that means he woke up, which was the last fucking thing I needed.

Wally let out a long yawn and mumbled "Hey, Ruby-nii…whatcha doin'?" sleepily, not even bothering to adjust his head to look at me.

"N-nothing!" I stammered, jerking my hands away from his body.

"You were just… messing with my hair… weren't you?" Wally mumbled.

"Well, uh, yeah…" I said, as heat rapidly accumulated in my face.

"Why'd you stop…felt nice…" Wally mumbled, slowly turning his head towards me.

"I…uh… isn't… i-isn't this uh… s-strange to you o-or… something?" With his droopy, half closed green eyes looking right at me, it was basically impossible to keep my words straight. Wasn't this supposed to be like that part in an anime where the recipient calls you a pervert and hits you with their object of choice?

"Isn't this what friends do? Calm each other down and listen to each other and stuff? I'd sleep with you, if you were sad about something, Ruby-nii…" I blushed even more; it sounded like he didn't have a single dirty thought about what he had just said.

"Well, uh, we should g-get up. Two guys, uh, two guys shouldn't be sleeping like this…"

"Ruby-niiii, I don't wannaaa." Wally whined lazily, tightening his arms around me. "You sound like you've been awake for a little while… If you really cared you would've made me get up already… That's probably how you are." I drew a complete blank, knowing he got me good. Things sure were simple in Wally's head when he was feeling drowsy.

"F-fine then, we don't have to get up yet…" I said, calming down a little. If it wasn't embarrassing for him, I didn't have to keep making it into something it wasn't.

"You're such a good friend, Ruby-nii." Wally said contentedly, turning his head to the side again and nuzzling my chest. "Could you play with my hair some more, maybe? It felt nice." Wally asked, as soft and innocent as a baby Swablu. Resisting such an offer would've been stupid; even though the fact he was aware I was doing it now was a bittersweet relief. There was no need to stress things more; I could easily ask him about the things he said before we fell asleep later. At that moment, I just needed to calm down.

About an hour later, things were back on track. Wally had finally decided that there was only so much platonic male bonding you could do before you have to get back to the journey. It amazed me how carelessly that time was spent just being so close to him, because now that we were back out on the road, approaching the city limits of Mauville, I was as shy as ever. Now I couldn't just have a cute, quiet, simple moment where I didn't have to think about much, I knew I had to start asking questions or else I would just hold off on it forever.

"So…" I said, looking over at Wally as we walked.

"What is it?" He responded curiously, smiling at me.

"Why…why would you still want to be on this journey after that… Why with me?" I asked, both anticipating and dreading the answer.

Wally paused for a moment before answering. "It's… it's just that it's very important to me. I know it was dangerous and scary that one time, and you might think it's kinda stupid to keep trying…sometimes, even I think it's kinda stupid to keep trying, but it isn't like all those other people who just want to show off and prove themselves… Okay, that's sort of exactly what it is, but yeah…" Wally paused, blushing and doing a sort of subtle, uncomfortable dance on the spot.

"I've been sick and shut in all my life; I've always felt so weak. People laugh and whisper about me whenever they even think I can't hear them. The especially bad ones have wondered out loud about the day when I'll just up and die, and even if they are nice they pity me and try to discourage me, always saying I shouldn't push myself too hard… Even my parents didn't really let me do anything, they just wanted me to stay inside and behave myself. They just thought it was time I get a Pokémon; they never really wanted me on any kind of journey. If you weren't around, Ruby-nii, I would've just up and gone, I wouldn't have even cared what they said." My stomach was in knots as I listened, I was making Wally relive painful memories all over again and I wasn't even doing anything comforting in return. I raised a hand to reach out and touch him, but lowered it again after only a couple of seconds.

He continued, starting to smile a little. It helped me relax a bit, but most of my guilt had stubbornly dug its heels in. "But you're here, Ruby-nii, and that makes me realize how lucky I am. My aunt and uncle heard about you beating gyms and chasing Team Aqua out of the museum, and I had been begging them for a chance to go on a journey. So they told my parents about it, and even though I had to beg even more, eventually they made this deal with me. They said I could go on a journey with you, since we knew you were going to pass through here. It's only been a day, and so much has happened already! I couldn't ask for a better travel partner!" Wally's smile grew so wide and sweet it nearly gave me diabetes, and in that moment I really wanted to hug him, kiss him, or hold his hand as we walked. Even though you'd think a guy sleeping on top of you and allowing you to pet his head for about 20 minutes would make you feel like you can get away with anything, I didn't actually do any of those things. I had no idea where Wally got such a broad idea of the things friends can do together, especially friends that haven't even spent much time with each other, but something about consistently taking advantage of such a naïve view to find the smallest, dumbest reasons to touch him felt rather inappropriate and underhanded. So instead, I pushed my urges aside, made a mental note to have a stern talk about his very broad friendship assumptions, and asked another question.

"But what about Ralts?" I said, feeling guilty about having such emotionally difficult questions.

"She's fine with it, she probably wanted this more than I did. If she hadn't wanted to do it, I would've just given up and gotten over my desires, but the first thing she wanted to do once she got better was to go out and train. Sure, I worried that she only wanted it because she knew I wanted it, but her determination speaks for itself. Sure, the Roselia sort of hated us for a while, but it turns out delivering plant food, berries, and mineral water for a while is an excellent way to apologize. It may not seem like much, but it's not easy being a wild Pokémon. It's hard for them out there, and they realize that they have to appreciate what they have right then and do their best to forget the past… They can do that so well it's no wonder people just assume they're stupid."

"Yeah, I suppose you have a point there..." I found myself agreeing, even though I was still trying to grasp the idea of such strong forgiveness and determination, even in wild Pokémon.

"I even built memorials and a little graveyard for them when I realized they just let their dead get eaten, and told them a little about mourning and stuff...They really took it to heart, they decorated the graveyard all by themselves and they've added new bodies themselves…Even other species of Pokémon! It really is amazing how much they're like people when you really stop and look." I simply stared at him for a moment as a sense of moral inferiority crashed down on me. Only fucking Wally would go to a bunch of wild Pokémon who nearly killed him, then give them gifts and teach them the concept of celebrating death and handling it properly. Only fucking Wally would answer a question about his own Pokémon's well-being with genuine concern for the well-being of a bunch of wild Pokémon too.

"Thanks, I understand now…" I murmured half-convincingly, not fully understanding how he could possibly be content with the situation. But Wally seemed to buy it, smiling as we continued to walk ahead.

After that talk, things were much less interesting. Nothing much happened for an hour or so besides small talk and awkward silences as we walked along a much less populated and more rural path, with a house every now and again standing out against the wild, unruly grasses. After one awkward silence too many, I came up with the idea any Pokémon Trainer with brain cells would.

"Hey, uh, why don't we let our Pokémon out for a while? They could have their first training session together. It'd be a good experience." I suggested, looking over at Wally.

"That's a great idea! I was thinking that maybe Ralts should just stay in for a while, but if she hardly comes out things will never get better between you two…" Wally trailed off and looked away. He frowned slightly, slouching a bit and looking towards the dirt path we were on.

"N-no, don't be like that, you're right. We need to form a healthy bond, that's part of my duty as a Trainer! Even if the Pokémon I'm dealing with isn't truly my own, my goal is to form a positive and meaningful bond with any Pokémon I meet!" I silently congratulated myself on the brief show of confidence and bravado, even though I was secretly still kind-of-sort-of scared shitless of the temperamental Pokémon that was only a Pokéball's toss away at that moment. It really didn't help that I still doubted myself quite a bit and I didn't really believe what had just come out of my own mouth. And even worse, Wally was entirely unaware of that. Apparently only some of the things I do are obvious.

"Oh, that's a wonderful goal Ruby-nii! As expected from someone like you! …I don't really know what I want to do besides beating the Pokémon League, but you're really on to something!"

"Yeah…Pokémon?" I reminded him, holding up my four occupied Pokéballs to get back to the main subject.

"Right!" Wally agreed, tossing a Pokéball high in the air. Not that it actually went very high, but whatever. Ralts popped out as I sent out my four Pokémon. "Just relax, we're taking a break." I informed them. Almost immediately, Electrike began to roll in the grass, Marshtomp jumped into the grass and then tore it out to make a mud puddle, Breloom began scanning the area for suspicious activity, and Aron sat right against my ankle, unsure of what to do. Ralts walked over to Electrike, acting as if I weren't even there as it passed me.

"Don't force her into anything, she's got a lot of pride and she'll just sort of resist…probably with more violence…" Wally said with a groan to his voice. "It just needs a little time before we can get it started."

"I understand. Maybe we could train while we're at it… Looks like Ralts is eager." I deadpanned, as I turned and watched Ralts go off on Electrike, screeching and squealing and sending small pebbles and dirt clods flying with leaking psychic energy. Electrike reached a paw forward and patted her head in an obviously condescending manner, then jumped clear over her as Ralts attempted to use Confusion. Aron trembled slightly and positioned itself behind me, then used Harden for good measure.

"Oh jeez, Ralts! Stop!" Wally chastised, causing Ralts to reluctantly calm down. Electrike gave her a small shock and ran off to a safe distance, grinning broadly. Ralts emanated what could only be described as killer intent for a brief moment before calming down again.

"Looks like things haven't been settled yet...Then again, we should be grateful she had the decency to not do this when they talked in your house." I said, smiling wryly.

"Oh just stop it!" Wally shouted, quickly twisting himself around to look directly into my eyes. "So YOUR Pokémon are the best perfect little babies and Ralts is some feral little savage who's just out for blood! That's how it is to you?" Wally said, suddenly looking very annoyed, and glaring at me with surprising intensity.

"N-no, that was a joke…" I said, voice small and soft.

"It's not even funny! I told you what happened, I told you what we had to go through, and you just take a big shit on it! You just laugh at it! You just laugh at me!"

"Wally, no, that's…that's not what I…"I started, but Wally wasn't even able to hear me.

"You act all nice and then you tease me, then you're nice again, then you tease me again, and you make fun of Ralts too!"

"Wa-" Once again, he just kept going.

"So what if I didn't beat you and challenging the gym was a stupid idea all along even though I prepared for months? So what if watching you or anyone else battle makes me feel stupid and worthless? So what if Ralts doesn't like you?! So what if she doesn't like anyone?! It's her mind, and her decisions! Maybe she really does have a good reason! Consider that, you stupid, confusing jerk!" Wally yelled, tears beginning to well up in the corner of his eyes.

Ralts was at his side in one Teleport, mirroring his posture and expression, while my Pokémon had all stopped what they were doing to look at us with conflicted and confused expressions on their faces. Aron was shuddering more than ever, and had used Harden again. Even Breloom had a somber expression, looking up at me as if it expected me to suddenly make a glorious comeback and fix everything. However, I didn't even really know what was going on, let alone how to actually fix it.

"Wally, please, no…j-just listen…" I murmured timidly, looking around awkwardly, surely with a lost expression on my face.

"Whatever, Ruby. Tell me, why did you even take me on a journey with you? You don't really understand my reason at all, do you? Here I am, ready and willing to bust my ass and try my best no matter what the hell happens, while you're here, being so much better without even trying, having admiration you never even asked for! That's fine, that's great, but then you're such a hot-and-cold bastard! You probably just think the exact same thing about Ralts with just a touch of shallow, worthless pity now! You probably think I'm just your helpless little naïve sidekick who's gonna make you look good!" He sneered and began to speak mockingly, despite the tears that were beginning to stream down his face. Ralts teleported onto his shoulder and began to stroke his cheek gently, a small frown on her face. A couple of stray tears began to roll down her cheeks as well.

" 'Oh, my, look at our great trainer Ruby, taking along poor Wally with him, you could just eat that sick little Verdanturf boy up!' 'My, what a wonderful person Ruby is, taking that child along for the ride!' "

"That's not it at all!" I shouted, my voice cracking. My eyes began to sting with tears as well, and I trembled in place. Marshtomp joined Aron in pressing up against my legs, while Breloom and Electrike positioned themselves between us protectively.

"Don't just act like you're…some embodiment of cheer…and then explode all over me at the weirdest fucking time!" I yelled, finding anger I hardly even knew was there. "Don't use all your expectations and personal issues to crudely make up who I am as you go along!"

"That is who you really are!" Wally spat back.

"Shut the hell up! You don't really know shit about me! You talked about how I think you're naïve, and you're right! This is the most naïve shit you can do right here!I fucking hug you and cry with you and let you sleep on top of me, and then just because I make some stupid ass jokes sometimes you get fucking furious with me? You take all your doubts and insecurities and problems with everyone else and decide NOW is the best time to unleash them, and THIS is the most constructive way to do it, and I'M the one who deserves it?" I was increasingly furious as the unfairness, the adrenaline rush, and the surprising, unexpected hurt all encouraged me further.

"Well you do! You're the one who everyone thinks is so damn great!"

"Stop it, you moron! I'm not great at all! I lied when I told you my goal! I lied because that's how much of a fucking joke I feel like compared to YOU." Wally's expression became mixed up and unsure. He stammered a little and looked around aimlessly with bewilderment, before looking back at me.

"That's right, I lied! I-it's not a gloat, it's not a celebration, I lied…b-because I don't fucking know what I want out of this journey… I lied because I admired and even…e-envied your determination to do all this shit everyone keeps saying you can't do. Even if it is selfish, a-at least you know why. I just wanted to go because then…things would be _different, _w-whether that's for better or worse. Then I wouldn't live in some tiny Goldenrod apartment where no one, n-no one at all, really cares who I am. Then I wouldn't live in boring ass Littleroot, w-where there's hardly anything to do and I just sort of…waste the whole day in my room. I could go anywhere I want, and do whatever I want… I could figure it out step by step and there wouldn't be a rush. I caught and trained my Pokémon because that's just what I wanted to do. They're not perfect, they're just my Pokémon, and I-I just do my best. I fought those Team Aqua guys b-because that's just what I thought I should do. I d-didn't even really want all of this attention!" I ranted, stuttering and stammering and hardly keeping track of what I was even saying.

"Then…but…what do you need me for?" Wally asked, shifting uncomfortably. I took a deep breath to calm down and think it over a little, and then answered.

"Because we're friends, you idiot. Actual friends. Isn't that something you want too?" I asked in a gentler tone, as I looked down and tapped at dirt with one foot.

"Yeah..it is…" Wally answered quietly, fidgeting with his hands. He slowly looked around with a small blush, as if someone might have seen what had just happened, and before I could decide what to do next he dashed forward, jumping straight over Electrike, and nearly falling flat on his face as he reached out for me and began to hug me as tightly as he could. He buried his face into my shoulder, and his muffled sobs started to come out almost immediately. I wrapped my arms around him and stood there silently, waiting for him to calm down. Ralts, who had managed to hang on to his shoulder the entire time, had no objections. After what seemed like eternity, the sobs slowly came to a stop, and he began to speak "I'm...I'm so sorry about that, Ruby-nii…I know you don't mean harm, I just…I just got so ahead of myself, and then I just got so mad, and I didn't even know what I was…" I cut him off as tears began to build up in his eyes again. Electrike decided to come over and nuzzle us at that point, and even Breloom slowly and steadily patted Wally's back.

"It's okay, it's okay. You have a point. I need to take you more seriously, and I need to take Ralts more seriously." I said in a comforting tone, with a small sigh.

"And uh, well, uhm… Ruby-nii?" Wally asked, his voice small and quivering.

"Yeah?"

"I…you know how you said you lied to make yourself seem cool?"

"Yeah."

"I, uh... Oh, Arceus, I lied too…I lied about the funeral thing…I lied about… forgiveness…and all that… Most of the Roselia still hate Ralts and I…a-and they destroyed the funeral I tried to make for them…I didn't really show them anything. I had to make sure they weren't around before I did anything on that Route… I-it's not really that easy…I-it can n-never be that easy…" He began crying again, and my grip loosened a little. The Pokémon all looked at him with a confused expression, as none of them knew what he was talking about. Even Ralts simply stroked his cheek, attempting to generate as many comforting feelings as possible.

"Oh…" I said disappointedly, frowning a little.

"A-and I can ride a bike, actually. But I'm not very fast, and, well, I…I was just…scared they'd…they'd…attack me, and chase me, and try to..kill me…" Fear was evident in his voice, and he pushed himself against me more forcefully, as if he were trying to burrow directly into my shoulder.

"Oh…oh no, Wally. No, no, no…Shh…" I murmured, even more sadly this time. I put a hand on Wally's head and began to pet his hair, without even really thinking. Ralts simply looked at me and nodded slowly.

"I'm just…you don't want me coming with you…It's…I'm just awful…" He said morosely,

"That's not true… If a bunch of Pokémon aren't going to forgive you, then I will. We can be liars together." I said, giving a small smile.

"Thank you, Ruby-nii…thank you so much."

* * *

**Chapter 5 finally complete! Merry Christmas!**

**So yeah, Wally isn't as chipper as he seems.**

**No info about the next chapter, since so far it turns out I end up going in a different direction from what I said I would do.**

**But hey, at least this is the longest one yet.**


	6. Fa Larbor Town

**Ch 6: Fa Larbor Town?**

**I lied. Being on break didn't make me write more at all, it just made me lazier…and probably fatter. orz. **

**So now, over a month, I finally have a new chapter. Thank you for bearing with me.**

**Disclaimer: This disclaimer doesn't actually have to be here because it's damn obvious.**

* * *

Things were much quieter after the sudden argument Wally and I had, but after a satisfying bout of silently complaining to myself I decided I probably would've allowed the conversation to die out regardless of the mood between us, thanks to my impeccable social graces. Ralts and Electrike were still on shaky terms, but Breloom was keeping a close eye on both of them. With nothing better to do, training began as I had suggested earlier, although it involved minimal speaking and a slightly uncomfortable air. Ralts and Aron rolled a boulder back and forth with telekinesis and brute force respectively, until Ralts got overexcited and turned it into a game of catch. Aron was so frightened by the boulder suddenly hurtling through the air instead of rolling towards her that she used Headbutt and managed to completely shatter it. She then dashed to my side, apparently unable to realize there was no good reason to be scared of something if you can destroy it with little effort.

With Aron unwilling to train with Ralts, Ralts was paired with Electrike and they practiced Shock Wave on Marshtomp while he retaliated with weak spurts of water, which they were meant to dodge between attacks. (Being part ground, Marshtomp actually seems to enjoy the feeling of electricity. Pokemon in general are probably masochists anyway… I'll shut up now.) Breloom was close by, silently watching to make sure they didn't try killing each other.

When we decided they were done, Breloom trained on a large dead tree, punching it and striking it with his tail as fast as possible. Ralts seemed unusually intrigued by his efforts, and went over to watch him, before going to a different side of the tree and attempting her own punches…which were quite honestly a lot more pathetic and pretty silly looking. Nonetheless, she kept going for a surprisingly long time, periodically looking over at Breloom to try to mimic him as best as possible, but in only a short time, Ralts seemed completely exhausted. Her breathing was heavy and raspy, and her punches were steadily becoming feeble and sloppy. Breloom, still as energetic as ever, looked at her from the side of the tree and gave a small sigh before stopping and sharply calling out to her. She turned to look up at him with a start, a small frown on her face. He rapped her lightly on the back of her head with his tail and then tapped the tree in front of him a couple of times, apparently instructing her to watch. He steadily positioned himself and did a few slow, steady punches, as Ralts watched with the most intense concentration her helmet would allow.

"She's really into it, huh?" Wally said, as we looked on with almost equal fascination.

"I thought a psychic type's instinct was to avoid getting close." I said, more to thin air than to Wally.

"She's always been more personal than most, I guess. You'd know that better than anyone." He said, smirking.

"I guess I would." I said through gritted teeth, unappreciative of the sassy remark. But in all seriousness, he did have a point. Ralts appeared to him in the tall grass against the odds, and I hadn't ever seen her directly attack the mind. She always preferred telekinesis.

Wally just giggled and continued to watch the two train together, cheering Ralts on and offering suggestions here and there, as I went back to supervise my other 3 Pokémon. Aron left my side and trotted off into the middle of the grassy field, then sniffed around for a moment as if she were looking for something. She scratched at the ground and began digging into it until she came up with a surprisingly large rock, bigger than she was. She rolled it over to Marshtomp, once again playing in a self-made mud puddle, and dropped it in front of him, eagerly calling to catch his attention. He quickly turned towards Aron and her rock, then, after a short conversation with Aron, he picked the rock up and carefully cleaned it with stream of water. Aron ran back to the dirt road and cut down some grass with Metal Claw, then laid it out over the dirt with a determined expression. Marshtomp set the rock down on top of the grass and sat down, watching Aron intently. She took a deep breath and began to cut the rock straight through the middle with Metal Claw acting as a knife. After a few strokes, she climbed up on one half and began to bite off chunks of it, then the other half, until they were both roughly rounded. She then began to carefully lick and nibble at the first half, steadily wearing the edges down, periodically stepping back to view her progress, and asking Marshtomp for what was apparently his artistic input. It was rather calm and interesting to watch, but in the back of my head, I was incredibly glad that Aron almost never bite living things.

I sat down, quite impressed, and Electrike came to sit on my lap and watch as well. Aron had done this before, once every week or so in fact, but it was pretty fascinating to watch every time. They always turned out to be crude objects that were only one basic shape, such as a Pokéblock or a Pokéball, but she had improved a bit. Wally, Ralts, and Breloom finished their training and came over to watch after a few more minutes had passed. I tensed as Wally sat only a few inches to my right, which was much closer than I had expected, leaning forward in rapt attention. Ralts shambled onto his lap and seemed to already be asleep the moment she stopped squirming, exhaustion rendering her completely indifferent to Electrike and me. However, Breloom seemed satisfied, and I had never seen him quite so content. His tail swished from side to side in a relaxed, careless manner as opposed to how it usually did so in a slow, deliberate, rhythmic manner, as if Breloom was deeply concentrating or thinking. Breloom gave Ralts a brief, gentle stroke with his tail and a small smile and nod as he sat down. He seemed quite proud of whatever Ralts had managed to do.

Wally started up talking excitedly, asking questions about when Aron had started sculpting and where she learned it, and giving an incredulous gasp when he learned I had nothing to do with it. He then recounted how the training with Breloom and Ralts had went, and told me that Breloom did indeed seem to be quite impressed with her tenacity and spirit, even if the technique and execution left much to be desired.

Eventually, I stopped grunting and repeating yeah/no and began to actually talk.

"So, Ruby-nii, shouldn't we be getting going soon? It hasn't been all that long, we have plenty of daylight."

"Yeah…" I said

"Fa Larbor town, right? Huh, sounds foreign or something." Wally said with an oblivious, innocent expression.

"…Are you serious?" I said, trying not to laugh. I didn't even know we actually would have to go to Fallarbor first at the time, so it was even funnier.

"Well yeah, we gotta go to Fa Larbor town next right?"

"It's Fall. Arbor." I enunciated, struggling to keep my composure.

"Really?" Wally questioned, studying my face. "I think you're lying." He said, pouting slightly.

"N-no, really. Two words, no space." I said, beginning to giggle.

"Then why are you laughing?!" He demanded, his voice cracking in mid-sentence. He blushed slightly as he took notice of that, and I simply couldn't take it anymore.

"Sir Squeakington wants to go to Fa Larbor." I muttered, before bursting with laughter, although I did do my best to control it in case I woke Ralts up.

He turned beet red and whipped his head in the other direction, as all of my Pokémon looked up in curiosity and Ralts did a lazy turn in her sleep.

"This is what I was talking about earlier, you're always teasing me every time I do something wrong!" His voice squeaked even more with the effort of trying to keep it low for the sake of Ralts, but he looked like a helpless Growlithe pup as he reluctantly turned back to me, and I stopped laughing almost immediately.

"Wally, no, I'm sorry, I forgot abou-"

"That was hardly a couple of hours ago…how'd you forget..." he moaned, and a spike of guilt plunged into my heart.

"No, really, I wasn't lying, I just laughed because you got it wrong and I'm sorry." I said quickly, hoping I sounded sincere enough.

"What's the point…I might as well get on my bike right now and go back home to let Auntie coddle me forever because I'm just too stupid and ridiculous to go on a journey with an even more _stupid and ridiculous_ _boy_ who keeps playing with my feelings." My heart skipped a beat as he said it, and the cold, harsh words cut into it like a knife. Electrike made a long, low growling sound that sounded quite similar to someone saying "_Ooooohh". _That was the last thing I needed at that point.

Ralts popped her head up with a start after he said it, and I could almost hear a shrill, heroic cry of "_Did someone say FEELINGS?" _as she did so. (So what if that ruined the mood, screwing up all the time makes me feel bad. Bite me. Bite me like I want Wally to.)

"Wally, I tease you…c-cause I like you." I finished quickly, not even thinking, just desperately throwing out the first semi-truthful statement that came to mind. Ralts gave a sharp, audible gasp, and Wally just stared at me blankly before answering as if I hadn't really said anything. Even Breloom gave a small, just audible gasp from my opposite side, while Electrike gave another "_oooohhh_" and Marshtomp and Aron just looked at each other with perplexed, dumbfounded expressions.

"W-well friends shouldn't be like that to each other!" He cried, obviously missing the point. I tried to take advantage of his misunderstanding and disguise what I had meant, but Ralts understood loud and clear, and quickly moved to tell him. My mouth suddenly felt as if it were glued shut, as Ralts got Wally's full attention and began to radiate emotions and make frantic gestures (some of which seemed quite lewd). Wally's face went from sadness, to impatience, to surprise over a very short period of time.

"I….uh…but…Ruby…well…ah…" Wally sputtered, looking around with a lost expression before finally settling on something to say. "T-that makes even less sense! Why would you do that?!" He shouted, now standing.

"B-because…" I started, as I stood up with him. "You make me feel all these…weird emotions…and they're really happy emotions…b-but really confusing…and I'm scared to express them because I'm not even good at expressing them normally…so I just kinda…say stuff…" I explained shakily.

"What?! Why?" Wally was so surprised he squeaked yet again.

"Cause… you're really sweet and this journey with you makes me happy and you make me happy and your hair feels nice and yousmellniceandyou'rereallycute." I said quickly, all in one breath. I practically whipped my eyes to the side, away from his gaze, blushing fiercely.

"Ah...uh…really?" Wally said sheepishly, looking down at the ground with a flustered and confused expression.

"For the love of Arceus, I wouldn't let anyone fall asleep on top of me if I didn't have a crush on them…" I said it in a quiet, joking manner, and Wally began to calm down.

"I…I guess that _WAS_ pretty weird…" Wally agreed, laughing nervously. "So uh…well, this is embarrassing…" My heart dropped into my stomach as I braced myself for the worst. "I…I know I called you stupid and yelled at you and stuff…but I know you didn't mean real harm…and I've had lots of fun with you…and you are…uh…you know…" He gestured vaguely towards me with a shy, hopeless expression, struggling to get the word out. "hot…" he finally stated, in almost a whisper.

"I…uh…I…thanks?" I muttered. Electrike and Ralts snickered.

"Welcome…" Wally muttered in reply.

"So, uh, yeah." I said, kicking dirt.

"I guess that basically means, I uhm, like you back." Wally said, fidgeting with his hands.

"So that means that….we're…"

"Y-yeah." Wally interrupted. I wasn't even mad, even calling it anything at this point felt like a strange, heavy, foreign blob I was trying to push off of my tongue.

"Okay." It was a simple confirmation. I was happy, but at this point almost wishing I had never accidentally said anything.

"So…we should get going now?"

"Y-yeah….Should we like, hold hands or something? I dunno…"

"Uh...n-no…no offense or anything…"

"It's fine…" I said, and we both got up and began to walk. We were so out of it we entirely forgot about Aron's sculpting, and it took Marshtomp and Aron a while to realize we were really just going to up and leave. I don't even really know what she made; it was probably Pokéballs or something. Breloom tapped my arm and gave me a proud nod as we walked along the dirt road.

* * *

**Chapter 6 is FINALLY DONE OH MY GOD.**

**What even is reliable updating. –falls flat on face and doesn't get up for several minutes-**

**But yeah, S.S. Awkward Boyfriends has set sail. Prepare thine kokoros.**

**Stay tuned, I should have more ACTUALLY coming FOR REALZ soon, especially because this is considerably shorter than the last few chapters and I seriously do have a pretty good idea of what Chapter 7 will be dealing with, since it's an idea I almost did for this chapter.**


	7. No Funny Business

**This was my fastest chapter in a long time. Awwwww yiss. Chapter 8 should also come pretty quickly, as it was going to be here but this became longer than I anticipated and I didn't really want to write another doozy.**

* * *

Ch 7: No Funny Business

If you're under the impression that it must be cool to walk through a long route of wilderness with only your new… boyfriend… by your side, free to do _whatever_ you want, then I'm not going to tell you you're wrong. Perhaps you'd be able to properly take advantage of it. Instead, I'm just going to tell you that in my case, it was one of the most awkward things in the world. Wally seemed to be walking in a squiggly line, constantly judging how close or how far he should walk from me, blushing every time I looked over at him. All of our Pokémon had been returned, and it was just the two of us, struggling with the ironic realization that our new relationship status was creating a good deal of tension and uncertainty.

"So, uh, how far is this Lavaridge place exactly?" Wally said, walking closely beside me. He had certainly struggled long enough to finally settle on a distance.

"Well, it's a long route… A few days, easy." I replied, opening up my Pokénav to look at the map. It had a handy side-benefit of keeping me from looking at Wally's cute, innocent, youthful face, with smooth, peachy, sweat-moistened skin and beautiful green eyes.

Okay fine, so I did look. I looked whenever I thought I could get away with it. Whatever. Stop laughing.

"Aw, that sucks. I can already hardly wait! I haven't ever really traveled much cause of being sick, so I bet it'll be lots of fun!" He exclaimed, his eyes wide with anticipation.

"Yeah, I'm excited too." I agreed in a flat tone. I was, but I just wasn't as expressive as him.

"You don't sound that way. Come on and smile, it's a great day!" he chirped.

"I am smiling." I flat-out lied.

"Nu-uh." He said, studying my slight frown.

"This is smiling for me, for I am no mere human." I said, my voice now purposely as monotone as possible.

"Oh, really? Golly gee!" Wally said, looking amused.

"No, young mortal, I am a great and powerful legendary Pokémon, the embodiment of excitement itself. I have sealed myself in this form so that I might prevent this world's humble creatures from tearing themselves apart with unbridled vigor."

"Gosh!" Wally said, starting to laugh.

"If I were to truly smile, my excitement would unleash itself, and lands for miles around would be engulfed in excitement and arousal so very intense that their hearts might burst straight from their heaving chests." I continued, still in monotone.

"But great legend, the world needs you to unleash your excitement! People won't smile and be happy! People like Ruby!"

"You have never known Ruby, you have only known I, the one who has no name, the one who's gaze reaches into infinity!"

"With my special attacks, I'll make you unleash your excitement and remember who you truly are!" Wally said, as he grabbed my hand and leaned in close to me, giving me the cutest look he could manage.

It was super effective.

I immediately blushed and stumbled over thin air.

"T-that's not fair!"

"I've spent my whole life being the kid people pity, Ruby. I definitely know how to get a reaction out of someone." Wally said, grinning mischievously.

"…I thought you didn't want to hold hands…" I said, looking down as his small hand, now entwined with mine.

"W-well, that was before…" Wally said, beginning to loosen his grip. I tightened mine in response.

"I didn't say I wanted you to stop…" I said, blushing.

"Oh, well, uh, okay then…" Wally said, blushing and looking away.

And so, things went back to being awkward for a while. We walked quietly for about 2 hours, and I battled a couple of rather easy trainers in the meantime. Just as we hit another period of nothing more than quiet companionship, we were practically ambushed by a blue-haired woman holding a microphone and a man with a camera. After I jumped practically 10 feet and Wally clung to my side like glue, the woman almost immediately began to speak.

"Hey, hey, hey, cute trainer couple! How's it going?! We're Gabby and Ty, stationed here to interview trainers with big aspirations and strong spirits! How would you like to be a part of that?!" She squealed, beaming energetically. Now _this_ lady was the embodiment of excitement.

"Gab, calm down, you'll scare them away! Like you scare _everyone_ away…" The cameraman, apparently named Ty, said in an exasperated tone.

"Ty, you gotta cast the line strong, then calm down and wait for bites! That's how this kind of thing works!"

"It would work _if you actually knew how to calm down._" Ty deadpanned.

"Whatever! Anyway, you two, why don't you tell us something about yourselves, or have a quick battle with us! Would you like that, little missy?" She said, specifically looking at Wally. I could hardly believe it. Sure he was effeminate, but dear Arceus!

"W-wha?" Wally squeaked, and his voice was just deep enough for her to realize her mistake.

"Oh! Oh! Ohhhh! Oh god, oh no, this is so embarrassing, I'm sorry, you just, I, oh my god I KNEW I should've worn my contacts, here I was thinking I wouldn't get ahead of myself and make a stupid mistake, knowing full well I'm as blind as a Zubat, oh my god this just terrible how can I even call myself a reporter I'm just so sorry I didn't even mean to-TY! YOU'RE DOING THE INTERVIEW!" She hurled the microphone in his general direction, too hysterical to aim properly, and he shifted his camera to one hand with surprising speed to catch it.

"Gab, I need two hands for the camera…" Ty said, in an emotionless, matter-of-fact tone, as if this happened often.

"MAGNEMITE CAN HOLD THE MIC! I JUST CAN'T FACE THEM NOW! I'M SORRY!"

"Gab, calm down…." But Gabby wasn't listening.

"NO ONE WILL TAKE ME SERIOUSLY NOW!"

"Gab, please…"

"WE GOTTA TIE EM' UP, TY!"

"What."

"WE GOTTA TIE EM' UP UNTIL THEY AGREE TO GIVE US A GOOD PUBLICITY INTERVIEW AND SOLEMNLY SWEAR THEY WILL NEVER MENTION THIS TO ANYONE!"

"Gab calm down you are a fucking embarrassment right now." He said, entirely unperturbed by the fact that he was apparently in the middle of "work" and had just dropped an f-bomb.

"I KNOW. I'M A FAILURE! A FAT FAILURE WHO SHOULD'VE JUST BEEN AN ACCOUNTANT LIKE MY MOM SAID."

"Gab, last week you said she wanted you to be a hairdresser…"

"GOODBYE FRIENDS, I AM GONE!" Gabby cried, dashing off back into the trees she had jumped out from.

"Crazy ass broad…" Ty muttered, before looking at us, as we stood there in stunned silence, Wally still clinging to my side. "I'm so, so sorry. Here, 2000 pyen. Just take it and forget about us. Really."

My issues with taking random money from a stranger were easily outweighed by the relief I felt at simply being able to get away from those two, although Ty didn't seem so bad, just in quite an unfortunate situation. I didn't even bother to argue as I hurriedly walked away, pocketing the money and pulling Wally along with me.

"She called me a girl…" Wally moaned, once we slowed down.

"It's okay, she was probably high as fuck." I said reassuringly.

"I'm not even wearing makeup right now, how could I be mistaken for a girl?" Wally whined.

"…Right now?" I repeated in confusion.

"Sometimes I put on a little so I look less terrible and maybe I can feel a little better about myself, sue me!" Wally cried.

"That's fine." I quickly stopped myself from saying anything potentially offensive, knowing about his sensitivity issues all too well.

"It…it is?" Wally said incredulously.

"Yeah, of course, but you look great even without it." I said, blushing.

"I…uh…wow…I was kinda thinking you were gonna be a jerk again once I realized what I said…" Wally said awkwardly, kicking the ground.

"No, you can do whatever makes you feel comfortable, I have no right to be a dick about it..." I said, feeling guilty for the things I had said before.

"That's so nice of you!" Wally said excitedly, and before I knew it I felt a soft pair of lips against my cheek. I immediately turned redder than a Tomato Berry.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry, I-I shouldn't have gotten so e-excited…" Wally sputtered, looking down at the ground.

"No, it's fine…" I said, as my hand automatically raised up to touch the cheek he kissed me on.

* * *

The rest of the happy but simultaneously quite uncomfortable day slipped by with little incident besides Wally and I trying not to say or do anything too awkward to one another, and as night fell, we set up camp. Just as we finished and sat down together, Wally asked a question.

"Hey, Ruby, where's the fire?" Wally asked, looking around. There were only the tents, his forest green, mine dark red, and a small electric stove hooked up to a rechargeable battery pack.

"There's almost never been a fire." I answered, sending out Electrike. As soon as she realized what was going on, she used Flash without even being told. "Breloom has always hated fire, and he was my second Pokémon."

"Oh...I know he's a grass type, but it won't hurt him if he's careful." Wally said.

"He's not afraid. He just absolutely hates it. When I first set up a campfire with him he extinguished it and then took my lighter and my matches and threw them into the lake on Route 104. Then he wouldn't listen to me for three days…It's pretty surprising that he's so loyal now." That had been incredibly frustrating; especially because I was afraid Mudkip wouldn't be able to handle Roxanne alone.

"So you're going towards an active volcano with a fire-hating Pokémon? Isn't that kinda… you know, stupid?" Wally asked, with a confused expression on his face.

"What am I supposed to do, send a letter to the league saying I need Flannery to come all the way out here and fight because one of my Pokémon hates fire?" I answered.

"Can you imagine though? You'd definitely earn the title of smoothest trainer alive." Wally said, giggling.

"Shut up." I replied jokingly.

"Well at least you're cute." Wally said, giggling more.

"I'm not cute…" I muttered.

"Says you." Wally said, leaning against me with a gentle smile.

"Be careful, or you'll fall asleep like that." I said lightheartedly, even though both the physical contact and his content expression were beginning to make me blush.

"Hoenn is a warm place anyways." Wally protested, yawning. It was absolutely adorable, like a Skitty, but I decided to save that comment for later.

"Yeah, but what would I lay on?" I asked.

"Electrike." Wally said, but immediately Electrike popped up from a light slumber and gave him a stern glare, not appreciating the suggestion that such a large creature's head should rest on top of her. "Okay, maybe not..." Wally squeaked, weakly correcting himself.

"We haven't even eaten yet." I said, suddenly remembering that all I had that day was breakfast and ice cream.

"Oh wow, you're right!" Wally said, quickly sitting up. He retrieved a green bowl and eating utensils from his bag, and I almost laughed as he pulled out a miniature matching set as well, obviously for Ralts. He then set out two pudding cups, instant rice, and instant curry sauce, then sent out Ralts. "I'm sorry I forgot about you, Ralts!" Wally said it as if he had accidentally locked his own child in an empty basement all day. Ralts shrugged and simply sat down beside him, you probably didn't get all that hungry if you spent most of the day in a Pokéball. Electrike, on the other hand, immediately trotted over to me and began to whine and scratch at my bag when she heard Wally preparing dinner. For Electrike, there was never a good reason to not be that hungry.

Although Electrike got only a humble can of wet dog Pokémon food in contrast to Ralts eating as if she were a person too (read as: SPOILED), she had no further interest in Ralts' food as she eagerly dug in. But as always, she finished very quickly, and she could only stare longingly at the food cooking for Wally and Ralts, since she had little interest in anything meant for my other 3 Pokémon. Aron got mineral water with iron fillings, Breloom got a little meat-based Pokémon kibble but it was promptly ruined for Electrike once it had been mixed with damp compost, and Marshtomp got a can of worms. As in actual live earthworms, with a side of seaweed and sardines. The sardines briefly caught Electrike's eye, but unfortunately for her, they were Marshtomp's favorite, and they were eaten first whenever available (They were quite a treat, because they were also pretty damn expensive. Who the hell even runs this economy?). Electrike quickly made a face that indicated she wished she hadn't stared long enough to see Marshtomp slurping up worms with gusto. Once Wally's food finished cooking, Electrike was treated to the sight of Ralts theatrically over-enjoying her food, moaning and humming between overly dramatic bites. Marshtomp had to hold Electrike down as she growled and muttered in ways that sounded almost like swearing.

I just had instant beef ramen, because one does not simply go wrong with instant ramen. Once everything was cleaned up, and Electrike begged enough to get my leftover broth, I was beginning to feel pretty tired too. Wally had retrieved a blanket and it was draped over our bodies, with him leaning against my shoulder, struggling to keep his eyes open. But with only the sounds of night time around us and every Pokémon but Electrike asleep in their Pokéball, I was in a more mischievous mood.

"Gosh Wally, when'd you become so keen on _sleeping with me_?" I said the phrase as suggestively as possible, knowing what would probably happen. If it was nothing too personal, I supposed a little teasing was fine.

"We already have slept together, how big of a deal is it anyways?" Wally answered, clearly not understanding.

"Oh, so you're wondering if _the deal _will be as _**big **_as you hope_?_"

"What? No…"

"You're worried I'll _come up __**short**__?_"

"U-uhm…"

"Scared I won't _**pound it in**_right?"

"Ruby, you're…" Wally began to blush.

"Did you enjoy my _**petting and stroking**_ last time? _Rrrr~_"

"A-Arceus shakes his head in shame, Ruby!" Wally said, blushing bright red as he fully understood.

"If he's so ashamed, why is he associated with a place called _**Spear Pillar**_?" I answered, bursting out laughing.

"FUCK YOU, RUBY!"

"Oh my, someone's eager." I said in faux surprise.

"I'M GONNA GO SLEEP IN MY TENT. ALONE. IT'S TOO LATE FOR THIS SHIT." Wally shouted, more exasperated than truly angry.

"Goodnight, beautiful." I said, giggling. He really was beautiful, at least to me.

"G-goodnight…" Wally said, flustered by the compliment.

"So…" I started, but Wally interrupted.

"I really am gonna sleep alone." he stated in a flat tone.

"Aw…"

"_Goodnight_, Ruby." Wally said with impatient emphasis, taking his blanket, walking over to his tent, and zipping it shut. With the fun over, I decided to recall Electrike and go to sleep as well.

* * *

**CHAPTER 7 OVER. In chapter 8, we'll introduce some NEW FRIENDS.**

**Yes, the plot is actually going to advance at some point.**

**Yes, this is gonna have real plot. Not the off brand shit I've been buying at the fanfiction dollar store. The real, 100%, full fat kind.**

**You'll see.**


	8. intoducing, the new friends,

**The title is a joke/reference to Sweet Bro and Hella Jeff, don't say anything about it's grammar/spelling being improper. Or I'll be disappointed.**

**Disclaimer: Why is this still here?**

**Ch 8: intoducing, the new friends…,**

* * *

Sweet, dark, blissful silence surrounded me as I slept, dreaming of Wally wearing nothing but a sopping wet t-shirt…Just messing with you, I have no idea what I dreamt about that night. What I do know is that I was rudely interrupted by the unpleasant feeling of someone choking me and yanking me upwards by the neck. My eyes flew open and I let out a yelp that could've been much manlier, as I shakily reached for my Pokéballs….

Only to see Ralts standing there as my eyes adjusted to the dark, slightly slouched and seeming rather impatient. It was nothing but telekinesis. She didn't even seem amused by my reaction, just tired and rather unwilling to be there. "I haven't called you any other names, what is it now?" I growled, not appreciating having the crap scared out of me.

Her telekinesis yanked my arm upwards and my whole body felt a little lighter than usual. Quickly deciding I had better follow her guidance before she just did everything herself, I got up and followed her, and she trudged along in front of me, to Wally's tent. She immediately slid herself into Wally's sleeping bag and went back to sleep upon arrival, while Wally just looked up at me with a sheepish expression. A night-light was on, and there was a soft green glow through the whole tent.

"Hey there, Ruby…" He said, with an apologetic smile and a tousled bed-head. Whatever it was, it was definitely going to be hard to be mad at him about it.

"What's going on…" I groaned, still not able to think 100% clearly.

"I, uhm…" He started, before shyly finishing "I had a nightmare…"

"Thought you wanted to sleep alone..." I muttered.

"I thought wrong." He stated simply, before giving me an irresistible pout. "And I'm scared…" His pout quickly vanished, and he looked towards the ground, frowning slightly.

"Alright, alright, I'll sleep with you." I said reassuringly. I couldn't have refused even if wanted to. I noticed a couple of blankets already next to him, carefully laid out. "Someone was confident in my decision." I commented teasingly.

"I wasn't gonna take no for an answer…"He admitted, smiling weakly.

"Was it really that bad?" I said with genuine concern, as I got myself between the blankets, and he almost immediately scooted closer to me.

"It was a big, enormous, red…something…making the most horrible noise. All I really know was that it was something…someone, alive, and it was in a lot of pain. I wanted to help it somehow, but it told me to leave, in English, in this huge, terrible voice, and that's when I woke up." Wally recounted it quietly, voice shaking slightly as he did so.

"It was only a dream. Don't worry." I said softly, turning towards him.

"You're right…thanks." Wally said, smiling slightly and closing his eyes. Ralts seemed somewhat annoyed that I was the one who had been there for Wally, but despite her air of defeat and disappointment, she refused to get up from her position between us, and seemed ever-so-slightly thankful. She tapped me to get my attention, and then expectantly held out a tiny hand. At first I was confused, but I felt a tugging sensation on my own hand, and I understood what she wanted. I awkwardly gave her a 'handshake' using only my thumb and pointer finger, and she nodded in approval (with a hint of added amusement, presumably because I was rather confused) before turning away from me to sleep facing Wally. I guessed that was as good a peace treaty as any as I closed my eyes and began to drift off.

I woke up feeling much warmer than I had the night before, and somewhat sweaty. Wally had unzipped his sleeping bag and his head was nuzzled into my chest, with his arm haphazardly slung over my torso, somehow stuck beneath my arm, and one of his legs had ended up between mine. I sighed, wondering how I was going to get up this time. After deciding against a variety of mischievous and perverted things I could do, especially if it meant inciting the wrath of Ralts, I ended up petting his hair again. I had thought of the idea of kissing him, but his head was bent inwards and nuzzled against my chest, so that would be sure to wake him. (And, you know, having -so- much courage to actually go through with it regardless) He stayed asleep longer than I thought he would, and I began to play with his hair out of boredom, gently twisting the strands together and looping them around my fingers. I didn't think of much in particular as I just sat there, toying with his hair, until the true enormity of the seemingly small and peaceful event set in.

_"I have a boyfriend now?!" _I thought, becoming fully conscious of the fact that I was sleeping (fully clothed in pajamas, for you weird people) with a boy I had a massive crush on, he liked me back, he actually _asked me_ to be in here with him, and I was going to be alone with only him and some (mostly) non-judging Pokémon who could be easily called back into their Pokéballs at any time. Sure, I could hardly call him my boyfriend at that point, the relationship had only just started yesterday evening, but it was...more than I had ever actually expected, to say the least. And although some may have decided to choose that moment to become drunk on success, and others may have felt that things were finally looking up, I felt a little uneasy. Happy, yes, even downright elated...but uneasy. I had absolutely no idea what Wally's nightmare even meant, for one thing. On top of that, I still wasn't entirely sure what this journey I was going on was even all about. But I didn't have enough time to let the thoughts cloud out the rest of the world, as Wally sleepily stirred and his arm went from being slung over me to actually embracing me, pressing his body in even closer. I could feel color rushing to my face as he murmured softly.

"Ruby..." he said, in a pleasant, groggy tone, before his head steadily lifted up towards my face, sleepy green haired eyes looking up at me. "Good mornin'..." he murmured, lazily slurring the words. Apparently, there was nothing strange or accidental about him being so intimately close to me, nor anything uncomfortable about me petting and playing with his hair again. The only thing that came to his mind was to wake up in an impossibly cute way and give me an innocent greeting.

"_Do you even know what you are doing to my heart right now you adorable little bastard?_" I thought, suddenly feeling even warmer than I had when I first woke up. But once I was able to look past the haze of hormones and cuteness, I noticed something- some_one_ was missing. "Where did Ralts go?" I asked, knowing that she wouldn't just up and leave Wally's side.

"Uh, to your tent, I think she woke Breloom up because she couldn't sleep anymore once I woke up the first time." Wally responded, now beginning to fully wake up.

"The first time?"

"Nightmares don't stop themselves...unfortunately."

"Oh...Is that why you, uh..." I squirmed in place to illustrate what I was trying to say.

"You should be honored." Wally said with a smile, not regretting his decision at all.

"I suppose I am." I said, smiling slightly.

"And your hand is still in my hair." Wally informed me, giggling.

"Aren't you honored too?" I asked.

"Of course, we all like to feel like a little puppy every now and then." Wally said jokingly, before rolling away from me and standing up in a groggy, unsteady manner. "Well, I guess waking up is now or never." he said, as his hands tugged at the bottom of his pajama top. I couldn't help but stare in anticipation for a moment, until he spoke again. "Are you gonna get up too or were you hoping I'd undress for you?" He said it teasingly, but I blushed fiercely, as I couldn't honestly deny I had wanted to see that.

"I-I'm gonna go get ready then!" I stammered quickly, as I stood up and rushed back to my tent so fast that I even surprised myself.

I switched out of my pajamas, and scoured thoughts of nearly naked Wally (It really doesn't help that I've already seen him in only a towel) out of my mind, I thought things would get a little less embarrassing for me. Of course, since I'm me and everything, that simply didn't happen. I put on my favorite white hat, which I had taken off before bed, and let out an all too girly screech when I felt something moving and scratching around underneath it. I immediately yanked the hat off of my head and whipped it at the ground, before dashing out of the tent. Breloom rushed over to me, followed by Wally and then Ralts. Breloom paced around me in circles, examining my whole body, while Ralts had a reaction that clearly said she saw nothing to be worried about. Wally's expression was full of concern. "Are you okay, Ruby?! Are you?" he asked frantically.

"I'm fine, there was just...something in my hat." I explained, blushing slightly with embarrassment. I was starting to realize I really hadn't needed to react like that. But hell, an unknown small creature living in your hat is the stuff of nightmares. (Just play along, okay?) Ralts suddenly perked up and gestured towards my tent as she rushed into it. We followed her to see my pajamas still laying on the ground in a mess, and my hat, sitting in a corner. Ralts carefully went over to it and lightly tapped it, causing it to shiver for a moment. She called out gently and tapped it again, and this time, two sharp, bright blue things poked out from underneath the hat.

"Oh sweet Arceus, are those it's fangs?" Wally murmured, backing up a little. Suddenly, one of them poked out further while the other lifted the rim of my hat, revealing bright blue eyes underneath. The "fangs" were actually claws, and the free one scratched something out on the ground with incredible speed. Once I moved in closer and then crouched and turned my head to see it properly, I saw they were words…written in perfect English, and in neat cursive no less. It was much better than anything I had ever written.

"Hello, lady and gentlemen! I must sincerely apologize for entering uninvited, and scaring that poor gentleman with the black hair!"

"It…uh…" Wally turned to the hat. "You can write?"

"But of course!" the thing underneath the hat answered.

"So..uhm, what's your name then?" Wally asked

"Lexis! Quite a fine young male Joltik if I do say so myself! 4 years old, smart as a whip, fit as a fiddle, that is me indeed, gentlemen!" Lexis responded.

"Awful big talk for someone still hiding under a hat that isn't theirs…" I muttered.

"Oh, I do sincerely apologize, my good man! You see, for all my charming wit, I must confess I am sometimes quite the particular fellow… I could not bring myself to spend the night outside for even one more night! And with it being quite dark and empty in here, and incredibly comfortable inside this hat, I decided this was a place as good as any to rest."

"So, uh…" both Wally and I said it simultaneously.

"Wondering how I can write, eh?"

"Yeah." we both said, dumbfounded. Lexis scuttled over to a new patch of ground, dragging my hat with him, before answering.

"Capital question! Very predictable, yes, but valid all the same! You see, I am not a wild Joltik by any stretch of the imagination. I have spent a considerable amount of time out in the wilderness and explored a great deal of foreign terrain, but I have always considered Hoenn my home region. And I was trained by humans, of course! I don't mean to brag, but I am quite the intellectual fellow, especially for my species. So what better outlet for my intellect than learning to read and write? Why, the thought that I could theoretically expand my knowledge as far as I wished was delightful!"

I was so surprised by his skill I didn't have the heart to tell him he was way too wordy, and a little too self-absorbed. "So, is there like, somewhere you were on your way to or something?" I asked. Lexis wrote something down, then scribbled it out, then hesitantly wrote something else.

"I…I am not, eh, en route to any specific destination or location, I am afraid. I suppose I am a drifter, for the time being…" A very small, sad chirping sound accompanied his writing.

"Do you want to come with us then?" Wally said, smiling.

"Why, I am not sure I can accept such a generous offer…your good will is simply wasted on someone like me, of that statement I am sure."

"No really, it's okay!" Wally said encouragingly.

"Well, if you insist.." Lexis paused for a moment before continuing "I must ask your names!"

"I'm Wally, and this is Ruby. And those two-" Wally pointed to Ralts and Breloom "Are my Ralts and Ruby's Breloom."

Lexis let out a small shriek of displeasure and quickly started writing again. "Good heavens, such fine gentlemen as yourselves never even went through the trouble of getting their names? The nerve!"

"Well, we can't exactly understand them perfectly, so-" Wally was cut off by a shrill squeak from Lexis.

"That is no longer of any consequence! I will reveal them myself!" Lexis then made a few chirps and squeaks to Ralts and Breloom, and once they responded they stood side by side as he wrote names in front of each of them. 'Mint' for Ralts and 'Soldier' for Breloom.

"Those are really their names?" I said skeptically, Ralts really didn't remind me much of mint. And soldier was more of a title than a name. Lexis shuffled to a new spot with a displeased squeal to answer me.

"Why of course they are! They told me so themselves! Or do you want to learn how to speak our language to verify it? I must say, I am not quite sure that venture would end with even remotely palpable success."

"I'll take your word for it …" I said crossly, not appreciating the sass from a Pokémon that could fit in my hand, and then be crushed by said hand.

"Oh my, you never see _anyone _who feels insulted or -oh_, dear me_- _threatened _by the fact that a creature supposedly so beneath them can quite easily harm their ego with words alone! No, _most certainly _not! Tell me, _O Higher Being,_ tell me about how you must feel as if you're on top of the world, taking that tone of voice with a creature hundreds of times smaller than you." Lexis made a few slow, chiding clicking sounds as he wrote, making the sarcasm and exasperation especially obvious. Before I could even answer, he turned away and started writing again. "Now, allow me to rectify these atrocious identity crises!" Lexis quickly crawled over to the rest of my Pokéballs and sent each one out, then told Soldier and Mint to leave. (Judging by the fact that they did indeed leave the tent after Lexis briefly spoke to them.)

"Whatever you say…" I said with a strong air of impatience _"You self-entitled little hat stealing shit." _ I bitterly added in my mind.

Aron's name was Talla (Tal-la, as in me_tall_ic, not Tall-a), Marshtomp's name was Swash, and Electrike's was Amber.

After I went over everyone's names in my head a few times to remember them, the morning proceeded with little incident. Lexis reluctantly allowed me to put my hat back on with some gentle coercion from Talla while we were all sitting in a circle outside, as Wally and I made breakfast. It was just maple flavored oatmeal, and I found myself missing the cooking of Wally's aunt, but it got the job done. Lexis had apparently been using my hat to create and subsequently eat static electricity, since Joltik apparently don't need much sleep, so he didn't complain.

Just as everything was put away and I suggested we begin training for the morning, I heard a voice coming from down the nearby dirt path. It was a dreadfully familiar, feminine voice.

"RUUUBY! HEEY, IS THAT YOU OVER THERE, RUBY TUESDAY?!" It was Sapphire Birch. _Joy._

I simply sighed as Wally perked up and looked down the road. "Hey, Ruby, who's that?" he asked curiously.

"Just a friend…" I grumbled.

"Why's she calling you a restaurant?"

"Cause."

"Cause why?"

"It's a long story…." Wally didn't buy it.

"Is that your actual last name?" He said, smiling

"I…" The lie I was about to attempt got caught in my throat as my whole body tensed.

"Really? That's hilarious!" Wally whooped, catching on.

"No it isn't! Why the hell does an American restaurant exist in a place based on Japan anyway?" I cried, it was a question that genuinely bothered me.

"Ruby, I don't think this is the sort of thing we should be talking about…" Wally muttered, suddenly seeming a lot more uncomfortable.

"No, I'm tired of dancing around it! Why the hell is it?! I get the feeling it's just randomly there as some kind of cruel cosmic joke directed towards me half the time!"

"Ruby, please…"

"Why are we speaking English?! I thought we were just being translated, but now there's a goddamn Joltik that writes in goddamn cursive English sitting next to me!"

"Ruby, we're the English localiza-" Wally suddenly stopped and looked up at something behind him. I calmed down and turned around as well, and saw Sapphire standing behind me, looking confused.

"Oh, uh, hi" Wally said in a small voice, averting his eyes as he did so.

"Hey!" Sapphire greeted excitedly, before looking down at me. "Uh, Ruby, who is this boy, and why are you forcing a discussion of…._that _on him?"

"Don't just say _that._" I said impatiently, not even bothering to look over my shoulder.

"But you know it's a touchy subject you douche!" Sapphire shouted, even though I was literally right in front of her.

"Anyone over fucking five knows about the goddamn 4th wall, Sapphire."

"Whatever! Just cause people know doesn't mean they like to fucking talk about it!"

"Guys, could you uh, calm down maybe?" Wally asked timidly.

"Oh, sure little buddy! What's your name? Damn, who would've thought Ruby would actually make a cute friend for once?" Wally blushed deeply and turned his head towards the ground

"Uh…my name is…Wally."

"Oh, you little cutie, there's no reason to be shy! Name's Sapphire! I'm Ruby's friend from back in Littleroot! ...Sorta."

"Uh, uhm, I…" Wally stammered.

"Sapphire, don't flirt with him!" I yelled, feeling jealousy well up in the pit of my stomach. I don't like her like that and never will, but Sapphire _is _a pretty, active, well-endowed girl, taller and stronger than me, and she isn't afraid to get to the point. Out of the slim choice of other guys about our age in Littleroot, (There would be girls involved too, but Sapphire is straight.) Sapphire has apparently gone out with all of them. But once she was sick of them all, and I arrived, I guess I got forced into the role of her 'gay best friend'. Although she was trying to be genuinely nice at first, she started to grate on me, we said things we aren't proud of, and sure enough, we became frenemies. Anyway, the point is, I was feeling pretty damn insecure with Wally being all blushy and everything, even though the rational side of me knew he was just shy.

Sapphire walked around me to face me head on before speaking, with a smug smirk on her face "Why not, it's not like he's your boyfriend or anyth…" She stopped and looked closely at my frustrated, impatient expression, Wally's timid, evasive looking expression, and the close proximity of Wally and I, and then put her hand to her mouth and looked towards the ground for a second, her eyebrows furrowed. She then looked up and opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out, so she just looked down again, eyebrows furrowed once more. Finally, she muttered "Shit…" and looked up at us angrily, the bright blue of her eyes contradicting her fiery expression.

"Oh, come on! You actually have a boyfriend?! Really? You?! I went through every almost-decent guy in Littleroot but you get one just by shuffling your ass up to Mauville?" Sapphire was fuming now, eyes darting around, hand on her chin, eyebrows furrowed harder than ever.

"It's gotta be some kind of trick! Did you pay him or something? Does he owe you a favor? Is he some kind of lonely trainer service?" Sapphire yelled, bending down and bearing closer to my face with each question.

"Maybe it's just cause I know how to be a nice guy while you can't turn off your 'crazy ass bitch' function." I said. I heard a gasp from Mint and a simulated "oooooh" from Amber. There was also a shrill squeak of mortification from Lexis.

"Whatever, you stinking hunk of rotten ass! I'm leaving!" Sapphire said with a genuinely hurt glare. Normally it wouldn't be that guilt inducing, but I remembered that I had already angered Wally, Mint, and Lexis in only the last couple of days, so I really did need to stop being such an ass.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry…" I said guiltily, looking towards the ground.

"Well do me a favor then." Sapphire said in a serious tone, still glaring at me.

"What?" I asked, hoping it wouldn't be too demeaning.

"Lemme travel with you guys for a couple of days!" She said, her voice now completely free of both seriousness and anger.

"WHAT?!" I yelled, nearly choking on my own spit.

"Well, yeah, funny story. I kinda got in over my head at the casino, so I'm…kinda flat broke right now. Oopsie."

"You're kidding." I said flatly, not in the mood to deal with a third wheel, especially one that is hardly even my friend.

"No I'm not. At least until I battle a few weaklings and get to the next town."

"Damnit…." I mumbled underneath my breath.

"If anything, it'll be an interesting experience…" Wally mumbled, breaking his stunned silence.

"So it's settled then!" Sapphire said, smiling widely. It was like she already knew I couldn't say no to Wally.

"Fine…you can stay…" I muttered after a couple of moments.

Things were definitely about to get more interesting, even though I never could have predicted exactly how they would do so.

* * *

**Yay, Chapter 8 complete! Now that we've expanded the party and it's become clear that Ruby's world is full of strange people, what's gonna happen next?**

**You might not wanna know if it doesn't involve Wally and Ruby making out, but you're gonna find out anyway once Chapter 9 is up. Lucky you!**


	9. No Lavaridge For You

**Ch 9: No Lavaridge For You**

**Uh…Anything I put here is basically a waste of time at this point. Including the sentence you just read. And that one. And that one. And that o- *shot***

* * *

I know I sound like a whiner, but having Sapphire around turned out about as terrible as I expected. She ate half of our remaining oatmeal, because apparently slots were more important than ensuring her own breakfast. (Although I didn't even bother to ask if she fed her Pokemon. Any question that implies she's an abusive trainer would get seven shades of shit beaten out of me.) She easily managed to get Wally into his comfort zone, and they talked for an eternity, which is a totally fair measure of time because I definitely wasn't jealous or resentful at all.

She proceeded to gush over our Pokémon in the most stereotypically girly way possible, petting them and rubbing up against them as if they were stuffed animals, at least until she hugged Swash and ended up with a healthy coating of slime for her efforts. Mint and Amber basked in the attention and attempted to outdo one another, while Soldier allowed only ten seconds of affection before slipping out of her grasp. (Exactly ten, I actually counted in anticipation of his intolerance.) Talla was simply nuzzled up next to her, seeing as a lap is no place for an incredibly dense rock creature. Swash sat on Sapphire's other side, seemingly unperturbed by her prior unpleasant realization that Marshtomp are even worse than what you'd actually expect from touching a big amphibian. The slime on their skin is exceptionally clingy, and it takes ages to dry. A long hug soaks right through your pants and leaves your legs feeling gross for hours. Sometimes it even makes them fall asleep, since Marshtomp are fucking _strong_. Just trust me on this.

But, as you'd expect, Sapphire had the biggest reaction to Lexis.

"Hello, fair young woman! Beautiful day, is it not? My name is Lexis!" Lexis wrote, after crawling over to get her attention.

Sapphire stared for a moment before she even said anything. "It..it writes…" she muttered slowly, to no one in particular. She cracked a smile and raised her head, saying it louder and more excitedly this time "It writes!" She then turned towards me, and grabbed me roughly by the shoulders. "IT WRITES?!" The sudden fury in her voice made me flinch, and I didn't want to answer with her wide, intense blue eyes staring at me. "GODDAMNIT RUBY, THAT THING WRITES CURSIVE. CURSIVE." Sapphire screamed, shaking me.

"W-well, yeah…"

"YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOU GOT A BOYFRIEND AND A POKÉMON THAT WRITES CURSIVE? GODDAMN, IT'S LIKE YOU'RE THE MAIN CHARACTER OF SOME SHITTY STORY."

"Sapphire…" I softly chided, frowning.

"Oh..oops…" she said softly.

"Yeah…" I said awkwardly

"Sorry." she said apologetically.

"It's okay."

"BUT REALLY, YOU GET WHAT I'M SAYING. THIS JUST ISN'T FAIR!" she started right where she left off, as if her voice had never lowered in the first place.

"Everyone knows you're sexy and athletic, so it wouldn't be fair of YOU to be luckier than me too!"

"Well I-…did you just indirectly admit I'm sexy?" she said, smirking.

"No, I said other people think so, there a huge difference!" I yelled

"Everyone means YOU TOO, SHITLORD!"

"No, everyone didn't literally mean EVERYONE!"

"Pfft, just admit it, I have great boobs."

"Hell no!"

"Then you like my ass."

"NO! WHY ARE YOU OBJECTIFYING YOURSELF JUST TO PROVE A POINT?"

"Oh, so you also care enough to worry about me objectifying myself?"

"That's what any passably decent person would probably do. You know, anyone who isn't you."

"Anyways, I AM gonna make you admit you said I was sexy, and I am NOT gonna let you change the subject again."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah really, cause then I'll just ask Wally. I bet _he'll_ agree." Sapphire said as she gave Wally a seductive grin. Wally's response was to blush and turn away pointedly

"NO!" I screamed that louder than I had intended, and everyone looked a little taken aback.

"Okay, okay, calm down! Jeez, can't I joke around with you anymore?" Sapphire said, laughing.

"Ruby, I've never heard you yell so loud!" Wally said in shock.

"You're his hot button, that's why." Sapphire said, still giggling.

"Huh?" Wally said, looking lost.

"Talking about you like that makes him mad cause he loooves you!" Sapphire said teasingly.

"That's actually pretty sweet of him, in my opinion…" Wally said, blushing.

"Ah, you're just soft. Give it time. You'll hate everything he does." Sapphire said with a smug grin.

"No way! I can be mad at him, but I can't just hate him!" Wally cried. I blushed and looked around shyly, I thought it was pretty nice of him to say that, knowing how much of a jerk I tended to be..

"Oh wow, look at what I started. Can we just get going before you two are doing it like Buneary?" Sapphire said, smirking. Both Wally and I were now deep red, and unwilling to say much else.

"Ah, I'm sorry to have caused such an outburst! Perhaps we shall do this another time then." Lexis wrote, but it wouldn't be necessary.

"Hold on! I've got like a million questions!" Sapphire yelled, quickly pointing her finger at Lexis. He jumped away from it with a high-pitched squeal, then steadily regained composure.

"A-ah, yes, what is it then?" Lexis wrote quickly, still somewhat rattled.

"Where do you even come from?"

"Hoenn, of course. I am far more cultured than my wild brethren, I assure you."

"What part of Hoenn?" Sapphire asked

"Lilycove. Dreadfully long trip here, really. It is incredibly fortunate that my kind excels at hitchhiking." Lexis wrote, with a somewhat tired-sounding string of chatter.

"Why are you even here? There are tons of better ways you could be spending your time, you seem really smart."

"Oh my, thank you very much m'lady, but I consider myself a traveler. There is no specific destination in mind, I would just like to get away from-" He froze for a moment, as if he had suddenly forgotten or remembered something, and then completed the sentence. "-it all."

"You should meet my Pokémon! I bet they'd all love to hear about your traveling stories!" Sapphire said excitedly. I was already getting really tired of how she was being so nice to some smartass bug with a politeness shtick that was probably 100% fake.

"Oh yes, that would be exceptionally marvelous!" Lexis wrote.

"Yay!" Sapphire cried, as she gathered four Pokéballs into her hands in record time. Soon, a Wingull, a Slugma, a Grovyle, and a Whismur wearing a small yellow bow tie were behind her.

"I don't remember that Whismur…" I said. The Whismur was in her arms within seconds, cooing softly. It seemed unusually small, and incredibly cute.

"I just found him outside Rusturf Tunnel the other day! Oh the poor baby, his own mom must have rejected him!" she said, stroking his forehead.

"Really?" I said, frowning slightly.

"Yeah, I found him all alone, rummaging for food in the garbage. I took him with me and named him June! Isn't he the cutest little guy ever?"

"He's adorable!" Wally squealed as he crawled over to Sapphire's side to have a closer look.

"He..he IS pretty cute…" I admitted, trying not to blush.

"Yes, but are you sure his name is June?" Lexis wrote out "Just let me make certain."

"But June is the name I gave him! And he never acted like he doesn't like it!" Sapphire protested, hugging June a little tighter.

"Well, such a little fellow surely wouldn't object too strongly to something like that." Lexis said, as he crawled forward and began to speak to June. After a few seconds of silence from June, there were a few whispering noises, and then he suddenly began to cry. It was quiet at first, then as it broke into sobs it stayed oddly quiet, as if it were muffled or he was choking. Lexis quickly backed away, clicking and chattering loudly and excitedly as if apologizing.

"What did you say to him?! Oh, oh that's okay little guy, don't cry, don't cry, mama's here…"Sapphire said softly, but June suddenly began crying even harder as Sapphire finished.

"Lexis, what happened?!" Wally cried.

"I… seem to have offended him."

"How?!" Sapphire demanded, as she rocked June.

"June is the only name he's ever known, his mother never gave him one…"

"Way to go." I muttered.

"How was I supposed to know…" Lexis wrote, chattering in an ashamed tone.

"Yeah, no, even if his mom did name him why the hell would he want that name after being abandoned?"

"Ruby!" Sapphire scolded. June appeared to be crying harder than ever but was making little to no noise now, like someone who laughs so hard they aren't audible anymore, and Lexis only made a few low clicking sounds.

"I suppose he's right…" Lexis wrote, and then balled up tightly, hiding his face. Wally picked him up and began to gently stroke his back with his pointer finger, while Sapphire managed to get June to stop crying.

I calmed down, and finally asked the obvious question. "Why does he cry like that?"

"Well, I went to the Pokémon Center after I found him, and they said he was going to be alright, but his throat has been deformed since birth. He can't make sound right. Apparently, baby Whismur are expected to cry for food and attention, because loud crying means they're healthy. So, if they can't cry loudly, they get neglected. They said that June's actually quite a bit older than he looks, but he hasn't been eating enough." Sapphire explained in a surprisingly calm and even tone, probably for the sake of keeping June calm.

"You really are a nice person, Nee-san!" Wally gushed, apparently incredibly moved by Sapphire's decision to take June in.

"Nee-san…" Sapphire repeated quietly, blushing slightly and smiling.

"It's his thing…Not sure if it makes him weaboo or not, and really don't want to risk my existential sanity by getting into that debate, so just roll with it."

"It's cute! It's really cute! I don't mind at all!" Sapphire squealed.

"Weirdo." I muttered.

"Shut up, Ruby Tuesday." Sapphire said teasingly.

"Yeah, whatever… so what about everyone else?" I said, scanning the area to see where her other Pokémon were now. A patch of thoroughly scorched ground was now around Slugma, who was fast asleep in the exact same spot. Grovyle had gone over to Soldier while we weren't looking, and appeared to be sitting next to him, attempting to copy his exact posture, staring at him in silence while Soldier entirely ignored him. Wingull was doing low altitude aerial stunts off on its own, it had always come off as a restless bird to me.

"Eh, guess no one's all that excited to see each other again." Sapphire said sheepishly, before whistling sharply to call her Pokémon. She returned all of them except June, and finally we were actually making progress again.

* * *

The next two days were nothing to write home about. Sapphire's field work with Birch actually made her pretty knowledgeable of what around us could be eaten when we were low on food, so that wasn't a problem. (although it was her appetite and lack of supplies that screwed us over in the first place, so it kinda cancels out) The dynamic of three people sort of worked itself out, so Sapphire wasn't as bad of a third wheel as I feared. (She didn't even have much to be a third wheel of, Wally and I just hugged and held hands and said nice things to each other sometimes.)

Wally continued to innocently sleep with me, partially because he still had nightmares, partially because it's just something that feels comforting and affectionate. Sapphire was obviously a pretty big tease about it, but once she knew about Wally's nightmares she was genuinely understanding underneath her joking. She seemed eager to be friends with Wally, really. I admit I was jealous, but to ease the jealousy I just admitted that I didn't truly hate Sapphire or anything. From a rational standpoint she just seemed glad she had made a true connection with someone, like how I felt when I first met Wally. I imagined she was happy that for once she wasn't starting shit with some girl or required to deal with the awkward tension and baggage of a boyfriend or ex.

Lexis never did ask for the names of her Pokémon, simply saying it wasn't his place to pry. Otherwise, nothing changed about him, but I did have the sneaking suspicion he was being a little too hard on himself in private. He was technically Wally's Pokémon now, but he usually just perched somewhere on one of our bodies. It was easy to forget such a small Pokémon was even there, so no one minded much.

The most interesting thing was probably how Soldier and Mint were bonding. Soldier would teach her how to fight physically at our training sessions, and he became surprisingly open and affectionate with her compared to everyone else. He seemed aloof, uptight, strictly business and distant with everyone else, but he was patient, caring, and relaxed with Mint. Mint, on the other hand, seemed to love tricking him and messing with him, but she quickly formed a good understanding of what the limitations were. She was also genuinely improving at fighting physically, and we all helped her begin to integrate her psychic abilities into her punches to improve her speed and force. It was a lot of fun to come up with a new way for a Pokémon to fight.

Eventually, we reached the cable car to get to the top of Mt. Chimney, but of course, you should know what happens next.

"Let me guess, you're Team Magma…" Sapphire said impatiently, eyeing the two men who blocked the short path to the Cable Car. With their wide, bloated bodies and sweaty faces, they seemed great for blocking a path, but not exactly for keeping it blocked.

"That's right baby, we're Team Magma!" one said.

"Yeah, and we ain't lettin' you pass for shit! We may just be a couple of fatsos, but we ain't alone!" The other said, as he pointed to a button on the cuff of his glove. "We got that cable car buildin' there stuffed with Mightyena. One press of this button and the door flies open, then they come rushin' out to tear you to shreds!" I wouldn't have believed him, but looking at the rattling door and the ravenous looking Mightyena in the windows, you couldn't exactly say it was a bluff.

"SO GET THE HELL OUT OF OUR SIGHT!" the first speaker screamed in a booming voice. Not even Sapphire could argue with that. With how eager we were to get out of there, we were in Lava Path before we knew it.

"Oh sweet ARCEUS it is HOT in here!" Sapphire whined, only moments after we went in.

"Man, you'd make a fortune if you stood out in front and sold Fresh Water to people." Wally gasped, wiping his brow.

"You guys are babies…" I said, before walking through a particularly hot and dry pocket of air. I was so unprepared for it I had to catch myself against the wall. "Fine, it IS hot as hell in here…"

"Ugh…June, sweetie, just wait in your ball. We'll be out of here soon." Sapphire said reassuringly, returning June.

"Oh, I have an idea." I said, as I sent Swash out. "Use the coldest fucking Water Gun you can." I instructed. Swash looked at me with exasperated eyes, took a deep breath, and spewed a cold blast of water over all three of us.

"Ohhh thank heaven~" Sapphire moaned happily

"I guess it's better than frying…" Wally mumbled, wringing his shirt out in displeasure.

"Thanks, Swa-…Swash?" I said, looking around, only to see a bright flash of light as Swash returned himself.

Talla managed to deal with Lava Path's Pokémon if they happened to bother us, since Swash was highly unwilling to deal with the heat. The holes in her armor were releasing copious amounts of steam by time we had almost made it through though.

"So that's what those are for…" Wally said, watching the steam rise.

"SALVATION! AHAHAHAHA!" Sapphire shouted as we exited Lava Path on the other side, laughing madly and dropping to the ground to roll in the grass.

"That only took about twenty minutes…it's nothing but a hole through some rock." I told her as I returned Talla.

"Twenty minutes too long." She said. Deep down I agreed, mainly because I noticed how Wally was acting a little weird after Sapphire got soaked with water. Stupid sexy Sapphire.

"How much longer?" Wally asked. I got out my Pokénav to check.

"It's gonna be another day or two, since the fucking Cable Car is blocked." I said impatiently.

"Rural ass island…I WANT MEAT ALREADY, FUCK THESE BERRIES AND FRUIT." Sapphire grumbled as she slowly got up, now with smudges of grass and dirt on her damp clothes.

"I just want a bath…" Wally groaned.

"I think you've had more than your fair share of meat throughout your life, Sapphire." I said, grinning.

"Is that a fat joke or a sex joke?" Sapphire said with a scowl.

"A little of bo- FUCK." Sapphire had just punched me in the head.

"Now is not the time! Come on!" She shouted, walking ahead of Wally and I.

After a few hours, we reached a modestly sized house, located in scenic middle of fucking nowhere next to some rocky hills. A few flecks of volcanic ash blew in when there were strong winds, and a sign saying "Free Rest Stop" hung above the door. Sapphire wasted no time in rushing through the front door, while Wally and I followed at a more leisurely pace. Luckily our clothes had dried by then, although it somehow hadn't occurred to us that using Slugma would be much faster. (I think we were all just sick and tired of excessive heat anyway.)

"Oh, hello dears! What a nice surprise! Come in, come in, make yourselves at home!" A kind looking old woman said, directing us to a soft beige couch as she grabbed drinks and a plate of sandwiches from a nearby counter. She kept talking the whole time. "You're welcome to go freshen up, if you must! Bathroom is in the back, second door to your left." she said, as she set down three ice-cold lemonades and the plate of sandwiches.

"Oh, thank you! Please excuse me!" Wally stammered. By the time Sapphire had stood up and made to walk towards the back, Wally had already sipped the lemonade and left.

"How did he…" Sapphire wondered, staring at where Wally just was. "Aren't you gonna go in there with him?" Sapphire whispered to me, smirking.

"Shut up!" I whispered back loudly, before angrily biting into the sandwich. It was ham, with lettuce and tomato, and I have to admit it was damn delicious.

"So, you're all traveling together, right?" The woman asked, smiling warmly. Oh great, I was going to have to talk to a stranger…an old woman, at that.

"Yes ma'am." I answered, as Sapphire ate her sandwich in the fastest way you possibly can without looking like a slob, and then reached for another while she still had half left.

"Ah, and the young man with the green hair is your boyfriend, right?" she asked, smirking as I nearly choked on the lemonade.

"How did you-"I nearly choked again, and decided it'd be best to not eat or drink anything else for the time being.

"I'm great with people, Ruby." She told me, smiling.

"How do you know his name?!" Sapphire cried. She was looking up now too, and we looked at each other and then back at her before she continued.

"Well, I'm psychic. I suppose that's obvious now." she said cheerily. "I used to be a Nurse Joy, but once I retired I moved out here. People and Pokémon alike get very run down trying to get to Fallarbor, so I wanted to help. And here you thought it'd be a pain to chat with me." She said, smiling.

"So the food and lemonade…" Sapphire started.

"I already knew you'd be coming. So, would you care to tell me about yourselves and your journey? I used to be on a journey of my own, but I never get tired of these stories. I might even have a thing or two to tell you, who knows?" she said. Before we knew it, we were having a long conversation about all kinds of things, and once Wally came back he joined in too, and Sapphire and I finally got our chances to take showers. We ended up spending over an hour in there, and our Pokémon were healed and rested too. As we left, we felt much more uplifted than we were expecting.

"And don't you worry about those silly Team Magma people! By time you've visited Fallarbor, I'll have them out of the way for you!_ I_ _know some people_." the old lady said slyly as we walked away from the house.

"Thank you! Goodbye!" Wally shouted, smiling

"What a nice lady." Sapphire said, smiling and holding June once again.

"That story about her rival who trained nothing but Dunsparce was hilarious!" Wally said excitedly.

"That must have been a weird person to have following you around…" I said.

"Better than the weird balding fat dude with sunglasses who follows me around." Sapphire said.

"Huh?" I had no idea who she was talking about.

"He says his name is Scott, and he says I could be 'just what he's looking for' or something creepy like that."

"Sounds like a pain in the ass." Wally said, giggling.

"He really is." Sapphire said with a sigh. "He stares at me thinking he's not being hilariously obvious. Fucking ephebophile."

"What?" Wally asked, looking confused.

"It's like a pedophile, but with late teenagers. Learn something new every day." Sapphire said, smiling.

"Huh." Wally said, and we continued to walk towards Fallarbor.

* * *

**AW YISS, DONE WITH CH 9. And yes, ephebophile really means that, in case you didn't know. For the old woman, I just wanted to put more explanation behind why some random old woman is willing to let grimy random kids and teenagers waltz into her house, and why she even lives there in the first place. And just assume Sapphire does all the side stuff I've never mentioned (Like Rusturf and Scott, or the Winstrate challenge), since that doesn't seem very important to me, lol.**

**I mean come on, Rock Smash to reunite the lovers in Rusturf and get Strength? That is the most pointless shit, anyone with legs could just CLIMB OVER the rocks. If anything, they should've used walls for Rock Smash, not just rocks that look incredibly simple to get past normally.**


	10. Things Aren't What They Seem

**Ch 10: Things Aren't What They Seem**

**Another day, another work of "art".  
But hey, at least I'm finally getting to the good part.  
(No, that doesn't mean sloppy makeouts)  
We get another NEW POKEMAN FRAND though.  
And if you don't mind sparing a minute or two, tell me what you think so far/your complaints or opinions! Not just "it's good" or whatever, I would strongly prefer at least a few well-constructed sentences. You don't have to, but I really would appreciate it.**

* * *

When Sapphire suddenly brought up something that should've been very obvious, only a few minutes of walking had passed. But it was so incredibly blatant and glaring that I was somewhat ashamed it had managed to completely escape my thoughts.

"So, that old lady is a psychic, right?" Sapphire asked as we walked along.

"Yeah, I guess so. Pretty cool, huh?" I said absent-mindedly, not catching on to what she was getting at.

"You dumbass." she deadpanned, as if I were being incredibly stupid (which I really sort of was).

"What'd I do now?!" I whined, pouting at her.

"It's not like I'm an expert or anything, but your boyfriend's nightmares seem pretty fucking psychic to me." That was enough to completely stop me in my tracks.

"Oh." I said simply, trying my best to not show how stupid I felt.

"Oh indeed." Sapphire repeated, smirking.

"To be honest, I thought about it too, but I didn't really want to bother her about it…" Wally said sheepishly.

"Sometimes you gotta be a little obnoxious to get what you want in life, lil' dude." Sapphire said, ruffling his hair.

"I'm not little! I'm practically a grown up, I'm out here without adults or anything!" Wally said indignantly, although his voice cracked in the middle of it.

"It's okay, it's a good thing to be little sometimes!" Sapphire reassured him.

"Says the freakin' Amazonian girl who's taller than us and has big boobs." I muttered, causing Sapphire to glare at me.

"It's fun when cute guys stare, but not so fun when you have to wander the whole damn region and you're stuck with the damn things." Sapphire explained with a dismayed expression. "And a lot of guys want 'cute and submissive', not 'could kick my ass'…and the absolute worst has to be when they turn out to be gay. "

"I think you'll find a great guy someday, Nee-san!" Wally reassured her.

"I've already found a great guy." Sapphire said, giving Wally a teasing smile and causing him to blush.

"So let's just go already…" I said impatiently after watching the scene, beginning to walk briskly back towards the old woman's house without them. Wally quickly caught up with me, and with a quick kiss to the cheek he entirely ruined my impromptu plan to act like a brooding, angsty, jealous dude and garner some pity.

"You forgive me already, don't you?" Wally said, with a small, knowing smile. I grumbled in response and grabbed his hand.

Since we weren't very far, we got back in no time. The woman was still sitting on the couch, sipping tea while stirring a bowl of cake batter and a pitcher of lemonade. Except the bowl and the pitcher were floating in midair, just beside her head, and she wasn't using any utensils to stir them.

"Good, you're back! Do you feel comfortable telling me about that little problem of yours now, Wally dear?" the woman said, turning towards us and talking as if the bowl and pitcher weren't even there.

"Yes ma'am…" Wally said hesitantly, as we all sat down again and listened to Wally and the old woman talk. She seemed keenly interested, nodding, urging Wally to continue, commenting here and there, although she never lost any control over her stirring, and despite her frequent reminders to simply ignore it, the conversation briefly stopped when about a dozen sugar cubes flew across the room one by one and each landed in the pitcher with a small plunk.

She seemed to be highly entertained by the end of the conversation, smiling widely as every last drop of cake batter was collected into a large, floating ball and carefully deposited into a cake pan behind her.

"Well, dear, have I got news for you!" she announced excitedly.

"What is it? Wally asked, looking somewhat fearful.

"You're an empath, no doubt about it!" she said, smiling widely.

"Huh?"

"We're practically kin! Empathy is a branch of psionics! Consider yourself very lucky, dear!"

"Oh, wow! So I could learn to talk to Pokémon?"

"Oh, dear, so much more than that, you don't even know. It's a splendid gift to be any sort of psychic, you know. Living proof that Pokémon and humans aren't quite as different as we think. The great ancestor, Mew, was a psychic type. From the psychic type, every other type arose. All the wonderful things Pokémon do, their power when paired with trainers, their strength being so inexplicably linked to their mentality and the things they've experienced…it all makes sense, doesn't it? Even a Fighting type has simply found a way to fuel its muscles with energy from its mind and soul." The old woman explained, her eyes twinkling and shining with a dim blue light as she talked.

"That's…amazing…" Wally said in wonder.

"Let me teach you, dear. Let me show you! I know you'll love it!" The woman said forcefully, her eyes suddenly glowing with harsh brightness.

"…I..I..uh…of…of course…" Wally said, voice going from hesitation to monotone as his eyes steadily began glowing brighter and brighter.

"W-what the hell are you doing to him?" I shouted, jumping up.

"I'm showing him, you silly boy. You know what I'm talking about. I'm showing him everything he's ever wanted. All that sickness, all that disrespect, all that loneliness, it'll be gone in a flash if he just follows my lead. I can take him to where he truly deserves to be. With me." Her smile was now wide, toothy, and unnatural. Light bounced off of her large, flawlessly white teeth at odd angles, and it warped and shifted in a way that was somehow deeply unsettling to look at. A thick smoky substance that glowed bright blue poured from her eyes, which had stretched over twice as big as eyes ought to be.

"L-lady, what the hell are you doing?!" Sapphire screamed, jumping up and backing away.

"Lady? Ah, young humans, so pure and ignorant. Never thinking it's strange I didn't give you my name, and never thinking it's odd that such a skilled old psychic is living out all by herself. Here's a touch of wisdom, young ones: The Pokémon League will snap up any human psychic it can get its gnarled claws on. And if you do escape, or if you refuse enough anyways, you risk a lifetime of being used, cheated, lied to, and manipulated in other ways. I'm saving this little one. You should be thanking me."

"Just tell us what the fuck you are! Everyone, come- wha-" Sapphire gasped as she looked at her belt and saw her Pokéballs were gone.

"Okay then, I guess I'll- huh?" I said, noticing mine were gone as well.

"Dears, really now, do better please. Psychic, remember?" the old woman said, although her voice seemed distorted and far away now. The Pokéballs swirled around her in a small circle, even Lexis had been snatched up, as he squealed, sparked, and scratched at the air in vain. The house began to creak ominously, things suddenly became faded and run down, the silverware and china cracked, dented, and stained, and everything began to stain and the roof began to leak. Wally was limp and hanging in midair, eyes wide open and still glowing, as the smoke from the old lady's eyes suddenly became deep purple and the smoke came out faster than ever, swirling about and condensing in the air as the old woman's body shriveled and withered, like burning paper but without the fire. Shadows stretched, warped, grew, and then raced and danced around the room, regardless of light or objects in the room

"Ruby, I…uh…" Sapphire mumbled, trembling.

"It's okay. I think I'm gonna shit my pants..." I said, unable to take my eyes off of what was happening in front of me. Finally, the smoke stopped, and form solidified.

"Well dears, now you've got it!" it said, cackling. It had a big purple hat, on its small purple body, red jewels on its abdomen, and piercing red eyes. In other words…

"A…M-Mismagius?" I stammered out, and the Mismagius cackled again, and then nodded while wearing a shit-eating grin.

"Yes, yes, this is the real me! Sorry about the mess things have become, I can't be bothered to keep the illusion going while I change back." It felt incredibly improper for her to be so cordial while she was busy freaking us the hell out.

"W-why are you doing all of this?" I asked, shaking.

"Give back Wally!" Sapphire shouted, scowling to hide her fear as best she could.

"Yeah, sure, fine." the Mismagius said, as everything steadily reverted to how it was and Wally's eyes stopped glowing. He was neatly and gently placed against the couch, and made to sit cross-legged.

"…What?" we both asked flatly at once, unable to believe what had just happened.

"If these were earlier times, the plan would be to suck his soul out and use his empathy abilities to enslave every Pokémon around, but I've changed since 350 years ago…I don't have the heart to be a properly sinister ghost anymore, really." Mismagius said, letting out an exasperated sigh. "Mother always did say I mustn't let the humans get to me…and what did I do…"

"Uh…" I said, "Excuse me, but…what the fuck is going on?"

"Seconded." Sapphire said in a serious tone, looking uneasy.

"I figured it's time I stopped beating around the bush and did something that would really get your attention." Mismagius stated as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

"Or give us a heart attack, whatever comes first." I deadpanned.

"No, I wouldn't let it come to that. Just listen. Do you know about Phoebe, of the Elite Four?"

"Well yeah, but-" Sapphire started, before being interrupted.

"Hush, dear. Oh, and I'll wake your friend up too. He'll have to hear this." Mismagius said, giving Wally's head a poke with a quickly extended dark tendril from her body. He woke up in seconds, and immediately began to scream his head off, until the same tendril bopped him on the head, making him suddenly shut up, although he quickly crawled over to my side and began to hug me tightly. I ruffled his hair and hugged him back, as Mismagius spoke up again.

"As I was saying, I have been under the ownership of Phoebe's family for a long, long time….I'd say it's been about…" She titled her head and rolled her eyes as she thought. "…872 years…three more, three less, not important… I was not caught normally, rather, a woman made a promise with me, when I was only a young Misdreavus, along with many other Ghost types. In exchange for her eternal gratitude and care, even extending to all of her descendants, we would help her erect a tower. It was meant to be a tower that would stand against all odds in the bitter times of relentless war, when Pokémon were seen as nothing more than troublesome beasts and my old friends were slaughtered left and right. The tower was going to become our home, and the burial site of countless Pokémon. But perhaps even more important is what we found when we dug up the land. The Red and Blue Orbs had been buried there, probably to prevent the very thing we did next." She sighed and took a quick drink of lemonade before speaking again.

"My first master awakened Kyogre, and her lover awakened Groudon. In no time, Groudon created a tall, splendid mountain, and Kyogre's rains allowed plants to grow and Pokémon to thrive on it. The humans were delighted. They started a family and lived in peace for several years on the mountain's summit with us. They built a shrine on the mountain's peak to honor the two legends, but we ghosts were still uneasy. Because so many of us had been killed in war, vengeance and deluded thoughts of justice clouded our minds. We begged them to use the power of Kyogre and Groudon to end the war and get vengeance, and eventually they relented. With the vast power of legends on our side, the wars were over unbelievably fast." She looked out of a window and took a deep breath. I thought it was strange that a ghost would need to take a breath, but upon closer inspection it seemed like she was trying not to cry.

"But that's as good as things got…. The Orbs and the legends were corrupted by our greed and hatred, and demanded the sacrifice of countless innocents. People who envied our power came to try and take them in droves. Mt. Pyre no longer honored death; it only glorified and intensified it. We only worsened the stigmas we were out to destroy. So, finally, we put a stop to it. Many of my friends sacrificed themselves to the corrupted Orbs, and so did my master and her lover, only leaving their young daughter and son behind. I took care of them, with the help of the others that were left behind. But by time the kids had grown up and escaped the dreadful ongoing fighting, only I was left…Perhaps because I was smart, perhaps because I was a coward, it doesn't matter at all now."

"For a long time, I was furious. The war had finally ended, all but the bloodiest feuds over, but I couldn't forgive anyone, including myself. I cursed, tricked, stole, seduced, tortured, and murdered, lashing out at everyone for over 500 years. But eventually, I realized I was wrong. I was only inflicting pain, like the pain I had felt back then. Master would despise me, and I wouldn't be fit to care for her children. So, about 300 years ago, I took on various human forms, and resolved to help people whenever possible."

"Wow…" Sapphire said quietly, staring at her with wide eyes.

"Well, what does this story have to do with us?" I asked, feeling rather confused.

"Not much, to be honest I just wanted to share it with someone and I didn't actually mean to talk that long. I suppose being so old can do that to you. But there are some things that are truly related to you. For one, Wally has been having empathic nightmares about Groudon. There's no doubt in my mind. And two, you're going to be seeing much more of Aqua and Magma. Groudon sleeps in Mt. Chimney, and Team Magma knows it."

"What?!" I blurted out, unnerved by how close we were to Mt. Chimney.

"Fucking…" Sapphire murmured.

"Oh hell no…" Wally whispered, looking fearful.

"You heard me dears. But its slumber is incredibly deep, and to use even a respectable fraction of its true power, they cannot simply catch it. They need the Red Orb. It has nearly all of Groudon's power, and Groudon must do whatever the Orb's wielder commands. They've already been to Mt. Pyre many times to attempt to collect the Orbs over the last couple of decades. So far they've failed, but they've grown in numbers and improved their technology, and it's getting harder and harder to hold them off. Casualties on our side have been growing, and they've killed a lot of innocent Pokémon who live there. This is where you really need to listen, dears."

"We're listening…" Wally said.

"I think you can help stop them." Mismagius said.

"Us? Are you crazy?" Sapphire said, frowning at her.

"Probably, I've done some truly awful things in my time." Mismagius said, cackling. "But really now, I think you're just what's needed. Groudon appears in Wally's dreams because it's asking for help, and trying to warn you. Even if he is an empath, Groudon wouldn't appear to just anyone. And you two, Ruby and Sapphire, you have power sleeping within you too…Honestly, I'm not too certain what it is, but it seems immense. And trust me, things of this nature work themselves out if you keep pursuing them. I've certainly been around long enough to know."

"I..I don't know about this…" I said, looking down at my feet. What the hell happened to a nice conversation with an old woman?

"Dear, let me tell you something. As a human, your life is too damn short to not know about doing something. Leave that to me, I literally have all the time in the world. And in the time I've used so far, I've seen countless people. Some days, being nice is hard, because when I see someone, I see deeper than I really have any business seeing. And what I see is usually quite similar. Most of these youngsters won't even get 8 badges, and they'll go home, sit on their ass, and let all their Pokémon get fat and run the food bills through the roof. I have to encourage them as if I'm not 85% sure they're going to be absolutely nothing special, or just a complete failure. But you three are exciting! When I see you, I see all kinds of things, and there are a lot of things that are a complete mystery. So what do you say? Why don't you go out and make me proud?"

"I…you really think that?" I said, frowning. The whole 'believe in yourself' thing doesn't come easily to me.

"Whether I do or not is unimportant. Never has anyone done anything only because someone thought a certain way about them. What's truly important is if they trusted what was said or not. " Mismagius said, smiling. "So, do you trust my word?"

"I…" I stammered hesitantly.

"I'll trust it for him!" Wally suddenly answered for me.

"And so will I!" Sapphire said, catching me off guard.

"It'll make your journey much more difficult. You must train and prepare more than ever, and take it upon yourselves to get rid of them." Mismagius warned.

"I've always loved a good challenge." Sapphire boasted.

"We can always figure it out together." Wally said with an innocent smile.

"R-Right!" I added shakily, still not entirely sure. I was starting to feel pretty lame.

"Well then, good luck!" Mismagius said, cackling madly as everything became coated in a thick, glowing haze and I received a pounding headache. Before I knew it, we were lying on the ground at the start of Route 113.

"…Sweet Arceus, did that really just happen?" Wally asked as he staggered to his feet.

"Maybe Sapphire gave us some weird berries or something…my Pokéballs are right where they always are…. " I muttered, as my headache slowly faded.

"No you idiot, I was there too!" Sapphire shouted.

"So was I. What a horrifying lady…." Lexis wrote, chirping in displeasure.

"Let's just keep walking…" Wally suggested, and we all decided it'd be best to listen to him for the time being.

**CH 10 DONE. **

**This marks things getting MOAR CEREAL, so the story will be getting more intense from here on out. (especially after chapter 12, although chapter 11 may not be so bad)**


	11. Is It Can Be Fallarbor Tiem Now Plees

**Ch 11: Is It Can Be Fallarbor Tiem Now Plees**

**-Professor Farnsworth voice-  
Good news everyone! I've finally started to update faster! Mainly because these beginning chapters were a little awkward and I had to think of things interesting enough to write until the more exciting things I had really put thought into could be reached. (and I am a sequential writer to make matters worse, it just feels so weird to write out of order)**

* * *

Walking through Route 113 was more trouble than you'd first assume. The ash made it a little hard to see, since it constantly blocked out most of the sun, and it was the most annoying thing in the world to get directly in your eyes. ("Not for me!" Lexis proudly pointed out, not needing to blink and all, but he shut up when I threatened to bury him in the ash.) Wally happened to have some face masks in his bag though, so at least we didn't have to keep breathing it in.

A few (insane) trainers were actually wandering around looking for battles. **  
**They were dealt with pretty easily, even though some kids got reflexively punched by Sapphire because they thought it was a smart idea to hide in a bunch of volcanic ash and scare people. She was truly sorry the first time, but it happened three more times due to reduced visibility. By the fourth kid, she entirely blamed it on him. After that, we were completely paranoid about any tall lump of ash, and for more reasons than just kids hiding in them.

Wally found one of those reasons out the hard way.

"Woah!" Wally cried, lying on the ground because he had just tripped over a buried rock.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, but…my pants…" Wally whined, attempting to dust them off. They were covered with ash and soot, and he looked disproportionately upset about it, but he had such a cute puppy dog face I felt genuinely sorry for him. I'm such a softie.

"I'll hold your hand from now on, so you won't trip anymore, okay?" I told him gently, taking his hand in mine.

"How exactly are you so adept at going from an asshole to acting so sweet it causes diabetes?" Sapphire wondered out loud, as she made a face of mock disgust.

"Because not everything is worth wasting my precious kindness on." I answered honestly, giving her an unimpressed glance.

"Well, at least I know I am." Wally said joyfully, wrapping his arm around my waist and nuzzling my side. I could feel blood rushing to my face as a mixture of happiness and embarrassment rushed into my heart as if pouring from a waterfall.

"Damn, we have to hurry, things like this make me feel like such a cockblock…I'd enjoy that if it were Ruby, but Wally doesn't deserve to have me delay his first time…" Sapphire said nonchalantly but rather loudly, and this time I was the one who nearly tripped in the ash.

"I-it hasn't even been a week, why are you already talking about virginity?!" I hissed quietly, blushing even more.

"I see it in your eyes. You're practically in heat, Ruby. You wanna thrust so deep into-" Sapphire started.

"LALALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" I interrupted, as I walked faster to outpace her.

"Oh Arceus, it's so much fun to mess with you!" Sapphire said, laughing as she effortlessly matched my pace.

Eventually, we found out there was another reason to be paranoid of ash lumps. And that reason was that it was absolutely littered with lost and sometimes valuable items. With Talla and Swash digging, and an Itemfinder, we ended up spending hours searching the ash while still steadily moving in the general direction of Fallarbor. We ended up with money, potions, useful items, watches, jewelry, even a few Pokéballs and Great Balls. Sapphire was nearly hysterical, her irises had practically turned into pyen signs.

"AHAHAHA! I'M RICH, MOTHERFUCKERS, RICH! I CAN GET CUTE CLOTHES AND EAT WHATEVER I WANT ALL DAY! MEN WILL BE ALL OVER ME! IT'S MINE, YOU BASTARDS, ALL MINE!" she screamed, causing a couple of concerned and frightened stares to come our way whenever people thought we weren't looking.

"Are you sure about that?" I said skeptically.

"Of course I am! If I keep searching, and then later I search the desert nearby too, I'll be loaded!"

"Are you sure you want that? Especially that 'eat all day' part." I said with a smirk, poking at her stomach and causing a modest layer of fat to yield to the pressure. She wasn't fat, and she was pretty in shape, but with her appetite she had a lot of work to do if she wanted abs.

"Shut up, I'm naturally thick! My breasts started growing when I was 10!" **(AN: Seriously, if 10-year-old Sapphire already has them starting, it'd probably be ridiculous 6 years later. Plus, this gives me a way to work in ~INSECURITIES~ :3)** Sapphire said, scooting away and putting her arms over her stomach. She was suddenly blushing rather hard.

"More like naturally eating too much." I sneered, earning a forceful punch to the chest from Sapphire. She definitely punches like a man, so gasping and whimpering afterwards was totally justified behavior for me.

"**I'M NOT FAT!**" Sapphire bellowed as if she were suddenly possessed by pure malice, and from then on we just walked in relative silence towards Fallarbor, battling trainers and fighting off wild Pokemon occasionally.

It was only another couple of hours or so before we were on the city's outskirts, as the ash path was lengthy but straightforward. Wally was anxious to clean himself up yet again, and Sapphire's stomach growled rather loudly (causing her to blush and preemptively tell me to shut up). I was just ready to go to bed. But as we entered town, we were stopped by a Spinda wearing a small, bright red backpack. Its defining pattern was two thin, elongated ovals forming a diagonal line with a small gap in it across its face. It smiled and gestured to a small canvas next to it, a medium sized jar, and a sign saying "Limited Time Offer! Only 1500 pyen a drawing!" The words were typed, and I wasn't sure it actually knew how to write.

"Oh, that's so cute! A Spinda who can draw! I have money!" Wally said, dropping some money into the jar. I noticed the jar was already nearly full, and I was unpleasantly surprised. A Spinda was financially doing better than plenty of humans, by the looks of it.

"But what do you even want it to draw? It might just be a cute scam…I don't see a trainer or anything professional about this." I said skeptically. In response, the Spinda simply frowned at me briefly, before looking up at Wally for with intense concentration. Its eye swirls rotated rapidly, and its entire body was surrounded with a blue outline for a moment. Then, just as quickly as it started, it stopped, turned around, whipped out a pack of pastel crayons from its backpack, and began to rapidly draw. My skepticism became genuine interest, then amusement, then amazement as it went on. It would twist its body as if its bones didn't exist, telekinetically manipulate multiple pastels at once, draw while doing handstands on either hand, and constantly change the angle of the paper, sometimes spinning it while still drawing. After 15 minutes, it had drawn a very high quality picture of Wally and I, perspective from behind us, sitting down and watching a sunset on a beach. We were against a creamy yellow-orange sky with heavily shaded puffy baby blue clouds and majestic purple waters, with soft golden sand. Wally held a double scoop strawberry cone, and we were looking at each other, smiling warmly.

"Jeez Wally, your brain is so sappy…" I teased, blushing.

"Holy shit…" Wally whispered in awe, just as he had multiple times already, not paying attention to me at all.

"That was fucking sweet!" Sapphire shouted, wide-eyed as she examined every detail. "But I'm broke for now…maybe once I sell this stuff I found in the ash." she finished wistfully, obviously impatient. "You guys, hurry up and cough up some more dough! I gotta see it again!" she shouted at us. Before I could respond, I felt movement in my pocket, and by time I could object Lexis was standing expectantly in front of Spinda with the money dropped in front of him.

She did the procedure and then suddenly switched to a pack of colored pens and performed once again, creating a more realistic and simple picture, although the colors were still a bit exaggerated and perspective felt like looking up at a giant. This time, it was of a young, handsome teenage boy, his hair soft goldenrod, dressed in a tuxedo to match, and navy blue dress pants. He was wearing glasses and leaning against an elegantly decorated wall, holding an elegant china cup of coffee in one hand, while in the other he held open a book that he seemed to be reading intently.

"Oh my, how-" Lexis paused for a moment. "…odd." Spinda looked down at him, cocking her head and frowning slightly.

"Who is it though?" Wally said, puzzled

"Oh, no one in particular…" Lexis wrote, while chirping somewhat sadly.

"It's supposed to be you, isn't it?" I said. With the color scheme and what the person was doing, it seemed like a pretty obvious guess.

"No, I knew this fellow! Most definitely! His name was, erm…" Lexis stopped writing and made a series of agitated clicking noises. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that."

"Because it's just you." I said flatly.

"No it isn't!" Lexis wrote quickly.

"You want to be human, don't you?" I stated calmly, entirely unconvinced.

"No I don't!" Lexis quickly wrote again, with more irritated noises.

"Yes you do." I said with an air of finality, and he finally gave in.

"So what if I do?! It's far better than being small and worthless, condemned to being seen as a human's idea of a neat trick!" Lexis wrote, chattering loudly and giving off a sudden, small burst of electricity as his fur bristled.

"No one said you were worthless…" I reassured him, suddenly feeling a pang of guilt.

"But I AM!" He wrote, with the cursive bigger and less neat than usual.

"No..no you aren't…no one said you were." I simply repeated myself, unsure what to say.

"…All three of you, Wally, Sapphire, Ruby, move away from the kind Spinda, if you would." Lexis wrote before crawling several yards away. We obliged, and followed him while the Spinda looked at us with an even more confused expression than normal, if it's possible.

"I'm just a joke and everyone knows it! A stupid, useless bug who can't even fight and always goes over his boundaries! All I do is read and write like maybe I'm really smart or something, but I'm just a dumb circus animal at the end of the day!" Lexis wrote.

"No one said-" I was interrupted by a weak shock from Lexis, which seemed to be just to get my attention.

"AH! SAID! HA! THAT WORD! THAT WORD RIGHT THERE IS RICH, YOU PRIVELIEGED HOMINID! I CAN'T EVEN TALK! I JUST WRITE! I WRITE IN THE DIRT LIKE SOME CHILD! LIKE I'M ON AN ISLAND AND I'M TRYING TO SIGNAL FOR HELP! DO YOU KNOW WHAT I WOULD GIVE FOR THE ABILITY TO TRULY 'SAY' SOMETHING? DO YOU, YOU SPOILED, SPINDLY, DISGUSTINGLY ENORMOUS CREATURE?!" The writing had become nothing more than large, erratic print, the only focus seemed to be on quickly getting it down.

"Lexis, calm down…" Wally said softly, but Lexis let off an even larger discharge, and we all had to back away a little.

"WHY? WHY THE HELL SHOULD I CALM DOWN? SO YOU CAN IGNORE ME? SO MY PROBLEMS CAN STOP BEING RELEVANT TO YOU JUST BECAUSE I HAPPEN TO FIT IN YOUR HIDEOUS, SWEATY PALMS? TELL ME, WOULD MY PROBLEMS EVER REALLY MATTER TO YOU? WOULD THEY? ALL YOU DID, ALL ALL THREE OF YOU DID, JUST LIKE ANYONE WOULD AND EVERYONE DOES, IS GO 'OH ARCEUS, IT'S A FUCKIN' TALKIN' JOLTIK! WOAHOHO! WHAT A GAS!' " I looked down at each word, feeling a weight over my body despite how one could even say the scene looked a bit silly in retrospect.

"WHY DID I PUT IN ALL THIS EFFORT AND TIME ONLY TO BE A SIDESHOW? JUST FOR ONCE, I'D LIKE TO FEEL THE EYES MAN USES TO LOOK UPON HIS FELLOW MAN! NOT THE EYES FOR AN INTERESTING OR POTENTIALLY PROFITABLE BUG WHO CAN WRITE!"

"Well, that's just selfish of you!" Sapphire shouted, having just lost her patience.

"SELFISH OF ME? YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! YES, THAT IS THE HACKNEYED RESPONSE EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHER GIVES, BUT I AM DEAD FUCKING SERIOUS! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT A DAMN INSECT, YOU BIGOTED PRIMATE!"

"You haven't ever told us any of this! How were we supposed to know you're so damn touchy about your stupid identity crisis that we didn't even know existed until now?" Sapphire shouted

"…Had I told you, would you really care?" He wrote, suddenly regaining some composure.

"Yes, of course, we're your friends!" Sapphire yelled again, becoming more upset than angry.

"Oh, friends! Ah, so funny…and so cruel. I've only been alive 4 years. I have far less left than any of you. But I think I've already heard such words thrown around far too often. Just let me ask you this: In what way do you care? The way you care for a drowning fly, or the way you care for your drowning friend? The difference is crucial, you know."

"Of course we care for you as a friend!" Sapphire shouted, although her voice was losing its volume and edge, and becoming one of concern instead.

"Oh, really now? So you wouldn't have made light of it amongst yourselves, laughing about how a Pokémon desires humanity, even though I'm so 'lucky' to be so smart and gifted? You wouldn't rub my back, tell me I'm just confused, and act like nothing's different? I say that's utter bullshit!"

"I..We…" Sapphire started, but Lexis had already rolled tightly into a furry ball, no longer paying attention. He uncurled after a minute, then wrote.

"I'm going now. On my own. Good luck. I sincerely apologize." And with that, he was off, moving with incredible speed. In almost no time, he was gone.

"That was…that was my fault, wasn't it?" I murmured, feeling an incredible sense of sudden guilt.

"No, I shouldn't have kept pushing him like that. I just…didn't know he had such strong feelings about that sort of thing." Sapphire said quietly, frowning.

"He should've listened to you guys more though!" Wally said angrily, voice cracking despite how he was obviously attempting to keep it steady.

"He had a point though…How seriously would we really have taken him? A million people have said they wish they could fly, but no one goes out of their way to help them make wings. We just thought he was a neat talking Pokémon, even though he just told us how much he hates being thought of like that. I know you understand, Wally. You of all people would understand a situation where you want to be something everyone says you can never be." Wally tensed up as I said it, and looked towards the ground.

"Yeah…you're right." Wally said sullenly.

"Ah, come on guys, we can't let this get to us more than it already has! I'm sure he'll be back! Let's just go eat and have fun and do whatever else it is we're supposed to do around here. Once he does get back, we'll be ready to apologize." Sapphire encouraged, sending out June and rocking him gently in her arms, probably to lighten the mood further.

As we stood there, I suddenly felt a light tugging on my sleeve. Once I turned, I discovered Spinda was standing there, holding 1,500 pyen with a very sorry expression on its face. "It's..uh..It's not your problem, don't worry about it…" I said gently, pushing the money away. But Spinda simply sighed and presented me with 3,000 pyen, entirely undaunted. "No, really.." I said, feeling a bit embarrassed. But the Spinda simply went and put her things in her bag, then came back and stared up at me intently.

"No, I don't want you to feel responsible for this…" I said sheepishly. In reply, the Spinda simply made a fist and beat it against its chest, frowning sternly. "I don't want to interrupt your business or anything…" I said, feeling a little bit awkward about using the word "business" towards a Pokémon. But the Spinda simply shrugged and took a Pokéball from my belt. As I gasped and reached down to take it away, it had already pressed it against its forehead and gone inside. Without even a single shake, the Pokéball made its signature "ping" noise, and then released the Spinda.

"How did it just let itself back out so easily…" Wally wondered out loud. Spinda simply turned to him and raised a paw to its mouth while shaking as if silently laughing.

"More importantly, why is it so determined to come with us?" Sapphire asked. Spinda put its arms behind it's back as if they were bound, and then knelt.

"I think it feels guilty because it drew that picture." I answered.

"Oh…Well, sure it can come along! It'd be great to have such an artistic Pokémon with us! Imagine, we'd win a load of contests!" Sapphire said, pyen signs in her eyes again.

"Excuse me, Nee-san, but uhm, haven't you had enough of referring to Pokémon based solely on what they can do?" Wally said softly, but Sapphire's eyes widened a bit as he said it.

"Oh…you're right, little dude. I'm sorry, Spinda." Sapphire said, bowing her head respectfully. Spinda simply shrugged and smiled.

"I guess it can come then, if it's so adamant about it." I said, conceding defeat. Spinda looked up at me with a toothy, ear to ear grin as we walked into Fallarbor.

I wish it didn't. Even though they're cute, Spinda are still bears. And even as far as bears go, canines shouldn't look that damn sharp.

* * *

**AND LO, IT IS DONE. Now excuse me while I begin writing chapter 12 to escape the crushing reality that Homestuck has just started a hiatus. (If you don't know what Homestuck is, I think you need to Google it. I'm not even asking you anything more than that...and maybe review this story or tell people about it when you're done. Maybe.)**


	12. So I Herd U Liek Meteorites

**Chapter 12**

**So I Herd U Liek Meteorites**

There wasn't really much to do in Fallarbor, so we decided on the simple, obvious thing and just went straight to the Pokémon Center. We got rooms for the night right then, mostly so Wally could shower and change clothes before he had a nervous breakdown. We played with June while we waited for Wally, since it seemed like a good way to avoid a stupid argument. But as Wally came back and we prepared to leave, we noticed there was a rather animated discussion on the other side of the lobby.

"Hey, Lanette, have you heard? Cozmo's got some shady deal going with Team Magma. He says they're gonna help him find meteorites in Meteor Falls. I knew the man was a quack! Going to people like them for help getting some stupid space rocks, he's gotta be some kind of idiot!" It was a balding, tired looking middle-aged man, speaking loudly and somewhat angrily.

"Don't talk about him like that! If it wasn't for his research, this town would be nothing!" Lanette cried.

"Ehh, this town is still next to nothing. Just farming and ash. It's Meteor Falls that people care about." the man said with a sneer.

"You know as well as I do that Professor Cozmo has done a lot for us!" Lanette snapped at him, standing up and becoming surprisingly intimidating.

"Oh, you mean hole up in his house all day and obsess over meteors and dirt? Big whoop." the man said, sarcastically

"But some of those meteors are different! They hold a special energy, and the professor has worked tirelessly to find a way to harness it!" Lanette said defensively.

"Yeah, okay, and it was all fine until he babbled about them being alive, or whatever it is you've been yammering about every time you come here lately. They're rocks, not Pokémon. I swear, researchers just aren't as effective as they used to be." The man said bitterly.

"Well, I suppose he _did_ speak too much…" Lanette said, suddenly much more quiet. She sat down and looked right at us, then sighed. "You three there, you've heard us, haven't you? Just come over here. I can't afford to be saying this too loudly…" Lanette looked around in a shifty manner as we came over.

"What is this all about anyways?" Sapphire questioned, the only one of us brave enough to speak to them at this point.

"Shh. It's not something I want spreading around everywhere." Lanette whispered, before leaning in closer to us. "The Professor Cozmo we've been talking about is a man who's crazy about meteorites. He used to be a really great researcher around here, and he revolutionized the energy industries."

"Revolutionized?" Sapphire said skeptically, putting her hands on her hips and cocking an eyebrow. "Well why haven't I ever heard anything about him?"

"He talked too much." Lanette whispered, looking down at her hands. "He stuck his nose in too deep…He started out celebrated when he found out that some of the meteors in Meteor Falls are an excellent power source…People migrated here, and mined them, and eventually, Professor Cozmo found a way to harness the energy…But when he found that out, he said he found something else out too." We suddenly felt compelled to listen, much more interested in her speech. "He claimed they were alive. Brain waves, consciousness, some of the wilder rumors say maybe even a hive mind or a few attempts to communicate with them, I don't know. Of course, the media hated that. It's been hard for me to even find what I know. The League dropped him and stopped funding him, and all his major accomplishments were erased in a flash. He's almost nobody now. Others have actually been allowed to buy the rights and credit to all of his discoveries. He's practically a joke around here now, to be honest." Lanette said, with a dead serious expression.

"Then how do you know all of this?" Sapphire asked, glaring at her suspiciously.

"I'm Lanette, of course. League employed expert programmer and computer technician and…secretly quite a good muckraker too." Lanette whispered, snickering.

"S-seriously?" Sapphire questioned excitedly, although she still tried to keep her voice low.

"Yeah. If my age were appropriate, you could even say I have Super High School Level computer skills!" Lanette boasted, giggling.

"Uh…" Sapphire said, simply staring at her.

"Super what now?" The middle-aged man questioned, looking entirely lost. Wally giggled, and Lanette looked straight at him. I just sat there trying not to be too conspicuous. Even June, who was still in Sapphire's arms, looked rather confused.

"See, he gets it!" Lanette said, smiling as she looked at Wally. She and Wally high-fived and giggled some more together, but never told us what exactly their nerdy reference was. I didn't even really want to know.

"But really. Trust me on this." Lanette ordered, suddenly becoming serious again.

"…Didn't you say Team Magma was with him earlier?" Wally asked.

"Yup! The man's gone crazy, I'm sorry to say." The middle-aged man answered.

"Oh, damn…" Sapphire muttered with a sigh.

"I guess there really is something we need to do here." Wally said, sighing.

"Mmmhmm.." I responded.

"You're not going to face them, are you?" Lanette said, taken aback.

"We gotta. You know. We made a deal with a 900 year old ghost type and stuff." Sapphire said with a smirk, fully expecting the befuddled stares that followed. "So, bye! Wave bye to the nice people, June!" Sapphire said, laughing as she walked away and June obediently waved. We followed her reluctantly, finding it hard to believe she seriously decided to leave on that note.

* * *

We walked for about an hour until we reached Meteor Falls, since Fallarbor really wasn't all that big. There were an abundance of abandoned homes, and a couple of trainers on the way there, but they were easily dealt with. As we went into Meteor Falls, we saw a man in a dirty white lab coat, hunched over on his knees next to a boulder, shuddering slightly. As we slowly approached, he suddenly whipped around, his eyes bloodshot and baggy, his face smeared with sweat and dirt. We took a large step back as a group, and Wally made a small gasp.

"They..they took it from me!" the man shouted at us, as if we were supposed to know exactly what to do.

"…" None of us said anything, and June looked about ready to cry. Sapphire silently rocked him with a somewhat uncomfortable expression.

"Team Magma took my meteor! My best meteor! The only good thing I had left!" He moaned, tightly hugging the boulder he was next to for support.

"Are you..Professor Cozmo?" Sapphire asked hesitantly, leaning back a little.

"Ding! That's me!" Cozmo said with dull mock excitement, as he used the boulder to pull himself up. "_What_, pray tell, do you kids want with a wreck like me?" He asked morosely, his head hanging down and his arms limp at his sides, as if he were exhausted.

"We heard from a woman named Lanette that you research meteors, and you were with Team Magma earlier… That's true, isn't it?" Sapphire asked, voice quiet and hesitant as she made a couple of small steps towards him.

"Don't misunderstand, young lady! I had to! It was the only way, but then those bastards crossed the line!" Cozmo shouted, suddenly full of vigor. He looked straight ahead at Sapphire, eyes squinted angrily, fists clenched, entire body tense. "But of course, you probably don't even believe me. You're probably here to take me to town and get me arrested!" Cozmo said spitefully, before slumping down against the boulder beside him, getting his lab coat even dirtier in the process.

"No, it's..it's okay. You didn't know…Lanette told us you used to work for the League…" Professor Cozmo suddenly interrupted Sapphire as she said that last word, quickly jumping back up and stumbling forwards a bit before catching his balance.

"Ah! So you know I'm not…worthless?" He said anxiously, wringing his hands.

"Yes, of course, Professor…" Sapphire said, smiling and turning her charm on. "We'd be happy to help you. We're trainers, after all. I'm sure we can handle Team Magma."

"Oh, thank you, thank you! Finally, people who are on my side again…hopefully, things will be looking up from now on!" Cozmo said, flashing a wide smile.

"So, what does Team Magma want with that meteor?" Sapphire asked in a patient, pleasant tone. I had to admit it was impressive that such a violent, brash girl could actually be polite, open, and civil sometimes.

"It's a stupid idea, really. They're heading to the peak of Mt. Chimney. They said they wanted to make it erupt. If anything, you should go just to talk sense into them." Cozmo informed us. "Well, whatever." he said, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm going home. I've got things to do, and sadly it isn't really feasible for me to help you in my position…"

"We understand. We'll be back before you know it! Wave goodbye to the nice man, June." Sapphire said, smiling as June obediently waved to Professor Cozmo.

As soon as Professor Cozmo left, Sapphire scowled. "Being a hero is really lame sometimes…you have to help people, and people who are fucking broke end up needing the most help! And since they're so damn broke, they don't have shit to give you!"

"You could even say…being hero is suffering." Wally said, giggling as he recited the meme.

"Exactly how many nerdy references do you know about, little dude?" Sapphire asked. I almost thought she would sweatdrop, but this is totally real life, and I have definitely never seen anyone sweatdrop before. Definitely! Of course! Ahaha…ha…

"Not everyone went outside often as a child. Check your outdoor privilege!" Wally demanded with mock anger. Sapphire continued to look dumfounded, while I snickered and hugged him.

"Traveling with a nerdy same-sex couple was never on my bucket list…" Sapphire grumbled, as she walked out of the cave.

* * *

As we walked back to Fallarbor, we once again had to go past the abandoned homes. It was a little sad and creepy the first time, but this time, we were stopped by a gruesome sight. In a neglected, overgrown lawn, at least six Swablu were chirping and screeching loudly, all beating and pecking at something on the ground. Their wings had become stained with dirt and blood, and some of their beaks were also dripping with blood. Wally gasped and visibly shuddered at the sight, and suddenly I felt his full weight pressing against me as his legs buckled and he began to fall to the ground.

"Wally!" I cried out, quickly grabbing him. Sapphire quickly put June on the ground and reached her arms out in a flash to help, but Wally's eyes were now glazed over, and he began to scream, cry, and thrash. He moaned and choked out desperate, pleading words to seemingly no one between sobs. They were mostly nonsense or unintelligible, but I managed to make out the words "I'm sorry!" more than once. Meanwhile I was absolutely terrified. My hand began to tremble as I reached to stroke Wally's hair. My voice was shaky as I attempted to call out to him and calm him down. Mint suddenly came out of her Pokéball and immediately began to screech and cry out to Wally, holding his hand and shaking him with telekinesis. June began crying, and Sapphire was desperately saying Wally's name repeatedly and asking what was happening to no one in particular, her facial expression on the very edge of suddenly losing all composure as she clenched Wally's hand tightly.

Mint's eyes began to glow beneath her helmet as the air around us began to shimmer and waver, as if it was very hot. I felt a slight headache and a tugging sensation as the glow intensified, but just then, Wally's hand escaped Mint's grasp and he pointed straight at the pile of vicious Swablu. "Please…" he mumbled, as his arm suddenly flopped downwards and he went limp, although he was still breathing. As if suddenly understanding, Mint stopped what she was doing and raced towards the Swablu, screaming as she went. The Swablu ceased their previous assault and all turned to face her, screeching furiously and revealing that a Swablu with grievous injuries was what they were attacking in the first place. Pure murderous intent poured from her body as she took a fighting stance. I reached for a Pokéball to help her, but they had already dived on her all at once. My breath caught in my throat as they pecked and screeched, surely she was powerless in the middle of them all…

But in the next instant, she appeared behind them, the air around her shimmering slightly, revealing all they had really done was peck one of their own to the point of bleeding, and it was now sprawled out on the grass. They let out a startled group screech, and in that short time, she had vanished again, only to appear behind one of them and deliver a point-blank Shock Wave by punching, causing it to shriek and spasm before collapsing. The remaining four Swablu screeched in outrage and rushed Mint again, but this time she glowed briefly before jumping over all four of them and landing behind them. Immediately, she turned and grabbed one with telekinesis, hurtling it into another and then unleashing a Shock Wave on the two, leaving them twitching and weakly calling out. The remaining two simply stood there petrified as Mint gave them a stern, disapproving stare and then slowly walked over to the badly injured Swablu they had been attacking. She gingerly lifted it with telekinesis and brought it over to us, smiling weakly as she set it down and began to do what she was about to do before she attacked the Swablu. At that moment, I realized she was preparing a long range Teleport. But just as she was about to finalize it, she suddenly collapsed.

"We have to hurry up and get back to town!" Sapphire yelled "Get the Pokémon, I've got Wally!" she commanded, and I hastily obeyed.

Sapphire lifted Wally onto her back and returned June, while I quickly retrieved a sheet and a Super Potion from my bag. I wrapped Swablu in the sheet, since it was bloody and filthy, and frantically sprayed it with Super Potion. Its body tensed for a moment, and the wounds became a little smaller as the blood flow slowed to only a trickle. It was relieving, but it was still out cold and looking absolutely terrible. I picked up both it and Mint, and Sapphire and I began to run. We ran all the way to the Pokémon Center, arriving sweaty and out of breath, and definitely scaring the shit out of Nurse Joy.

"Oh, sweet Arceus…" she said to herself, dashing out from behind the counter to assist us. She blew a whistle she had around her neck and a Chansey came from another room to take Mint and Swablu, while Sapphire gently placed Wally on a couch. He woke up shortly after and immediately tried to get up, while murmuring "The Swablu…". We quickly got him to lie back down, and explained that Swablu and Mint were being treated. Wally seemed to calm down a bit, and he smiled softly. Without really even thinking much about it, I bent down, closed my eyes, and kissed him softly on his lips, overcome with the sheer joy that he seemed to be okay for the time being. He jerked slightly, and Sapphire gasped quietly as she looked on.

"Speechless for once?" I teased, as I turned around to look at Sapphire.

"It's a reasonable reaction, honestly. A lot just happened, and I was obviously pretty fucking scared too, so I'm not in the mood to cap on you. For now." She answered, grinning mischievously.

"I-I, uhm…Ruby, I..wasn't..oh…" Wally stammered, blushing deeply.

We waited there for about an hour and a half, attempting to make sense of what had happened. We told a Nurse Joy about what happened to Wally, Mint, and Swablu as best we could. She was quite confused, and scolded us for being reckless behavior, but was overall glad we helped. After only 15 minutes, Mint was back, and immediately jumped up next to Wally. The Nurse Joy that brought her said she was just exhausted, and she would be completely fine. Finally, Swablu came, awake and in bandages, and Nurse Joy told us it was miraculous we managed to save it in time. She could already tell from the wounds that it had been attacked by fellow Swablu, and she explained that Swablu live in large flocks, and sometimes things like this happen when a flock member severely upsets the social order, or a Swablu upsets a rival flock. But she reassured us that since we did something quickly, it'd be fine once given a few days to heal. She said she would keep it in the Center until someone came to adopt it, but Wally suddenly spoke up, saying he wanted it. Nurse Joy smiled and told him it was a girl, and thanked him for being so caring and responsible before handing it over. We thanked her for her service and left, and then quickly began to talk amongst ourselves.

The Swablu seemed to be very affectionate towards Wally, nuzzling his head as it perched on his shoulder and gently nibbling his ear. Mint looked up at it coldly, and her pangs of jealousy could easily be felt. I tightly held Wally's hand as we walked, still glad he was okay, but rather uneasy about the incident itself.

"Nurse Joy explained the Swablu, but…why did that happen to you, Wally?" I asked, looking him straight in the eyes.

"It's gotta be that empathy thing Mismagius was talking about…It felt a lot like that accident with the Roselia…Swablu was being badly hurt, and as soon as I saw it, all it's pain became like my own, and all the anger and fury of the others was like my own, too."

"Damn, powers are supposed to be awesome, not scary and fucked up! Who the hell wants the ability to feel someone being beaten to death?!" Sapphire shouted.

"I'd take it, if it meant Wally didn't have to deal with it…" I said in a dead serious tone.

"I-I wouldn't let you do that!" Wally cried, latching onto me tightly.

"But you don't deserve something so terrible happening to you…" I said sadly. "I love yo… y-your company too much for you to be hurt…" I blushed at the surely noticeable last-minute word change. Sapphire raised an eyebrow and smiled knowingly, but said nothing. Luckily, Wally didn't really notice at all, and Mint simply snickered a bit, with a small blush on her face.

"I say we go to a buffet! An 'Everyone Came Out Okay' buffet!" Sapphire said, licking her lips. I realized I was hungry too, and even Mint and Swablu perked up at the suggestion.

From then on, things calmed down and became generally less worrisome. The town actually had a good buffet, and Sapphire and Amber predictably gorged themselves. The rest of us were hungry too, so we didn't really say much about it, but Sapphire ended up rubbing her distended stomach with a guilty, regretful expression, and she actually had to pay as if she were two people. I wish I were joking. We found a pawn shop afterwards, to sell the things we weren't going to use that we had found in the volcanic ash earlier. (Stuff lost in the ash is probably the whole reason the town has a pawn shop in the first place.) I suddenly remembered Sapphire's traveling conditions as we each received a decent sum of money, since I'm not Ash Ketchum. (From a popular cartoon series parodying real Pokémon journeys, infamous for being hilariously unrealistic and inconsistent, and the main character becoming incredibly annoying after nearly 800 episodes of being a forgetful, hardheaded dope and never aging or permanently learning anything but managing to pull victory from his ass after having sudden bouts of wisdom.)

"Weren't you supposed to go off on your own once you got some money?" I said, frowning impatiently at Sapphire.

"I don't feel like it." Sapphire said simply, smirking.

"How the hell can you just decide that right now?" I asked, scowling.

"You haven't complained anywhere near as much as I thought you would about me so far." Sapphire argued.

"W-well, the name of this story says Wally and Ruby, not Wally, Ruby, and Sapphire!"

"Ruby, you haven't actually written the story yet…It's supposed to be a recollection…" Wally added in quietly.

"W-whatever, let's just drop the conversation. Sapphire can stay. Whatever." I said hastily, sweating slightly.

"Yay!" Wally shouted.

We stayed in the Pokémon Center for the night, since it was rapidly becoming dark. I was especially glad to be sleeping with Wally that night, and he fell asleep wrapped in my arms. In the morning, despite a fleeting desire for Wally and I to never get up so I could just keep Wally safe in bed forever, we were all set to go BACK through all the goddamn ash and grass and through the short taste of hell that is Lava Path. That took until evening, even though we all used our bikes this time, and we ended up back in front of the cable car building. But this time, there was nothing out of the ordinary and no one to block us, so we just went inside.

A clearly shell-shocked woman allowed us to use the cable-car, and when we asked why Team Magma wasn't blocking the cable car anymore, she started muttering something about "bloody murder", "maniacal laughter", "life flashing before my eyes", and "spent hours mopping". We decided not to ask anything else.

The top of Mt. Chimney was an entirely different matter. The place was loaded with Team Aqua and Magma members alike. There were intense battles all around, and the air was filled with the cries of men and women, and swimming with colorful strings of swears and insults. And just like Lava Path, the place was fucking scorching. Only the Team Magma members seemed interested in fighting us, while Team Aqua just seemed to be focused on Team Magma. The grunts were easily dealt with, but eventually we got to a weird-looking machine with a rock sitting inside, and a man in a different uniform than normal stood next to it.

"Oh, what do we have here? A bunch of kids trying to ruin my plan? What does this look like, a Saturday morning cartoon?" The man said, smirking. "Out of all the people they could send, they send kids like you? Damn, I'm too insulted to even battle you."

"Really?" Wally asked in a sincere tone, causing Sapphire and I to groan.

"You wish. I'm Maxie, you disgustingly optimistic little boy, and as leader of Team Magma, I won't allow you to stop me so easily." Maxie said confidently, tossing a Pokéball in the air and sending out a Mightyena. "Come at me." he said facetiously.

"Talla!" I shouted, as I threw out her Pokéball. I knew Soldier could easily handle a single Mightyena, but it was hot as hell and we were above a bunch of fucking lava, so I didn't want him to freak out.

"How cute. Mightyena, Dig." Maxie commanded.

"Sense its movement and try to dodge." I commanded, and Talla somewhat surprisingly did so successfully. I suppose that's to be expected of a cave-dwelling Pokémon

"Mightyena, use Di-"

"Bite its foot!" I called out before Maxie could even finish, and Aron complied, biting down with the same force that could break rocks and steel. With a wet, sloppy, crunching sound, Mightyena was crippled and whimpering in intense pain, and unable to Dig effectively.

"Okay, you little shit, I guess this isn't going to happen honorably then. Your funeral." Maxie said, returning Mightyena and closing his eyes for a second. One by one, small fires bursted into existence out of nowhere, and they floated around him in midair.

"W-what?" I choked out.

"Yeah, yeah, look what I can do. What, kid, you think I can lead an environmental terrorist group with a shitty Mightyena and rugged good looks alone?" Maxie said, smirking. "Now. Think fast!" He said, extending an arm and causing them to all rush towards us. We quickly ducked as the fireballs bursted around us, and patted a few spots where they actually landed on our clothes.

"Oh, good thing you didn't get burnt too badly!" Maxie said, sauntering over to us and yanking Sapphire towards himself. "This is a very pretty one, it'd be a shame if she got any disfigurements." he purred, licking his lips.

"Let me go you damn pervert!" Sapphire snarled, struggling to get free. Maxie surrounded Wally and I in rings of fire so tight we'd have to stay perfectly still as he spoke, and we could only watch in the sweltering heat. Talla was surrounded by a moat of magma, the very rock around her suddenly being melted down.

"Nee-san!" Wally called out, coughing and sounding like he was about to cry.

"Tell me, hon, you're legal aren't you? My, you're a strong one. I love a strong girl… Why don't you imagine yourself in a grunt uniform…maybe even an admin uniform. Extra tight on the chest and hips, you know, since I've got a lot of men and I could always use a morale booster…But not too tight. You do still have some weight to lose, hon." He said, caressing her stomach as he talked to her in a calm, yet scathing and mocking tone.

"**YOU'RE DISGUSTING!**" Sapphire bellowed, kicking him hard and surprising him enough to make him let go. She immediately followed with a punch to the face and a kick to the groin before he could react, and then grabbed his arm and actually managed to throw him right into the lava below. She looked down with a mortified expression, having never truly intended to kill someone. But through sheer coincidence, he landed on a relatively solid lump of rock, and incredibly enough seemed entirely fine, if a little bruised and dirty from Sapphire's attack and his fall. He seemed absolutely furious, but not even his clothes were on fire.

"W-what the hell is that guy?!" Sapphire shouted, looking down at him.

"Just fuck it! Let's grab the damn meteor and get the fuck out!" I yelled, making my way to the machine. I returned Talla and sent her out again, and she easily knocked the machine over and destroyed the glass case. I snatched the meteorite and we ran as fast as we could, with our minds swimming with uncertainty.

* * *

**Yup, this chapter is basically bringing up a bunch of new questions and information and little to no entirely satisfying answers. Wheeee~**

I also realized Pokémon don't actually even make Pokémon sounds in this story...I didn't even do that on purpose at first, but I'm glad I did, since it seems childish, unnecessary, and illogical. If they can form the syllables to say their name and understand human speech, why don't more of them know how to speak English? Especially captive born/raised from a young age, the way I see it that'd be comparative to a human baby learning how to talk, something that should be naturally picked up given the intellect of most Pokémon.


	13. What Is This I Don't Even

**Ch 13**

**What Is This I Don't Even**

As we ran, I could hardly even think straight. I didn't think of how the grunts seemed to be running away rather than trying to block me. I didn't even consider how strange it was that Team Aqua was already leaving, surrendering their battles left and right. All I knew was that I had to get out of there. Just a little bit further, and we would be safe... But of course, nothing is quite that easy.

The air shimmered briefly, and then exploded as a great wall of fire came into existence, preventing our escape. There was a bloodthirsty howl as Maxie rushed towards us at great speed, his hands and feet entirely covered in lava. His footprints left steaming puddles of molten rock, and dark smoke steadily billowed from his nose and mouth. He looked straight at us, absolutely furious. The wall of fire progressively closed into a ring as grunts looked on from outside, some terrified, some excited. "You just tried to kill me, didn't you, you arrogant bastards?" Maxie hissed with cold fury, lava pooling at his feet. I backed away, eyes wide, legs feeling like jello as I hugged Wally tightly. Talla was whimpering and shaking, practically plastered against my leg.

"Ruby! Don't just stand there!" Sapphire shouted at me, as she threw a Pokéball high into the air. "Wingull! Water Gun!" Sapphire shouted. As the water pounded against Maxie's body, sending steam and hot water everywhere, I reached a trembling hand downwards and sent out Swash, and I put the meteorite in my bag.

"Water Gun." I told him, my mouth dry and my voice hardly stable. Swash looked around for a second, clearly stunned by how surreal and incredibly ridiculous the situation was, before obeying. "Talla, Rock Tomb." I ordered, and Talla overcame her fear just long enough to carry out the attack. Maxie let out a scream of pain and incredible fury, a massive burst of haphazard fire exiting his mouth as he did so, crashing against the ring of fire.

"I'll kill you! I'll kill you!" He screamed, flailing wildly as he struggled to free himself from the rocks, his entire body sizzling loudly as steam rose off of him.

"Both of you, more water!" Sapphire yelled. Maxie seemed to somehow be in great pain as even more water battered against his body just as he managed to push some of the rocks away. He spat yet another great stream of fire and let out a long, incoherent scream as his eyes went wide and began glowing solid red. His face became discolored and the texture changed within seconds, going from slightly tanned peach to a dull, dirty shade of pink. His chin sagged all the way to his chest, and his cheeks became hollow and sunken in. His nose became a shapeless blob of goo and began to run over his lips. Soon afterwards, his lips became saggy and deformed, and when he tried to scream again, stretchy, stringy goo nearly prevented him from opening his mouth. The only sound "Maxie" could make was a painful, mournful moan as smoke poured from the gaps in his gooey, nightmarish mouth. The screaming panic of grunts and the sound of forming steam filled the air.

"Make it stop, Ruby..someone...Make it stop!" Wally wailed into my chest, but the best I could do was shakily pat his back, again and again, more for my comfort than his own. Sapphire stood in front of us, Swash and WIngull at her sides, and instructed us not to look as they fired more water at him. But I couldn't help but look. It was like my eyes simply had to be open, even though they were stinging with ash and the intense light of fire. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to believe it.

Maxie's clothing became warped and swollen as soggy goo expanded like some sort of disgusting dough, squeezing through breaking seams and spilling over his boots and collar. It was all glowing red and rapidly forming black bubbles now, noxious smoke and little flames jumping out as the bubbles popped. It spilled over rocks and earth and melted it as it went, and continued to burn, until it was nothing more than pitch black ash. It even engulfed the Pokéballs still attached to the belt, and they burst open in brilliant flashes of blue light just before melting away, releasing a Mightyena, Zubat, and Camerupt. Zubat quickly flew away, screeching madly, while Camerupt rushed through the flames and Mightyena swiftly followed it. The blasts of water continued for quite a while, Sapphire still ordering more Water Guns as the thing before us burnt away, until there was nothing but water and soggy ash. The ring of fire around us vanished in the middle of the assault, but Wally and I weren't in the mood to move. Wally was still buried in my chest, crying quietly. In the middle of the watery ash, there was an odd metallic sphere, a little smaller than someone's head.

The sphere extended four spider-like legs and flailed them about wildly, and panels slid apart to reveal a camera lens. Swash ran forwards and picked it up, ignoring the frantic flailing of the sharp legs and the electric shocks it gave off. He ripped off each leg and blasted the sphere with mud, and it seemed to stop moving.

"What..what the hell just happened?" a grunt said, clutching his head. All the others began to ask similar questions, and some moaned in discomfort and complained of headaches. A few even came over to us and asked if we were okay, and tried to comfort us. They all formed a tight group in front of us, dozens of them, murmuring and complaining amongst themselves.

"What about your leader?" Sapphire asked, obviously very confused.

"That...thing...wasn't Maxie. I mean, I thought it was, but...obviously not." a young female grunt said, while massaging her temple.

"What do you mean 'thought it was'? Are you trying to tell me you have no idea what the hell just happened?!" Sapphire yelled, suddenly clenching her fists and taking a fighting stance. "My friends and I, our Pokémon too...They all could've died just then! That...that thing tried to fucking kill us, and all you have to say is that you didn't fucking know?! You've lost! You've fucking lost, we have the meteor, we killed that thing, now fucking tell me what you know you bitch!" Sapphire screamed, raising her fist with a furious look on her face.

"I-I don't know! I really don't know! I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I-I d-don't remember anything!" The grunt wailed, dropping to her knees and covering her head with her arms. Her whole body was shuddering, she was probably crying.

"Wait...are..oh...you're serious, aren't you?" Sapphire said, relaxing her stance and looking down at her with a regretful expression. "Hey...come on...I...I'm sorry. I don't know what's going on here either...Just calm down, okay?" Sapphire said calmly and quietly, bending down to the girl's level. The girl steadily stopped shaking and looked up at Sapphire, who then helped her back up. "Uh...does anyone here remember anything? Could anyone recall what the hell is going on with Team Magma?" Sapphire called out, looking around. She was only met with silence. "..What exactly do you remember? Anything! Anything at all?!" Sapphire called out again.

A gruff looking man came forward. "My uniform. A man gave me my uniform. I don't remember anything before that, and I don't remember anything about the man. All I know is he said I would be safe, and taken care of...and then, when I put my uniform on...I don't remember anything after that either." The man explained. Other grunts slowly began to nod and call out in agreement, one by one, until everyone seemed to have reached the same conclusion.

"Well, we'll go to Lavaridge. It's right at the foot of this volcano. Maybe someone will be able to help you down there..." Sapphire said to the crowd. When she started to move and they just stood there, she sighed and turned back around. "Follow me, then...Ruby, you get up too. I'll get Wally." Sapphire said, walking over to us and convincing Wally to get on her back. He didn't say anything, or even look up for long. He just silently agreed.

* * *

We slowly and quietly descended the volcano, at least thankful it wasn't too steep. Swash still held the odd mechanical sphere that was inside of "Maxie". After a few minutes, Wally quietly said he could walk. Sapphire put him down and he walked alongside me, tightly holding my hand. Even though I was glad he was recovering from his shock, I still began to daydream, simply blocking out everything around me as I walked.

Not only was I scared, confused, and tense, I was also feeling incredibly inadequate. Sapphire had basically taken charge of all of our recent situations, and seemed to be on top of everything. Meanwhile, I just stood back on the verge of shitting my pants, struggling to maintain some semblance of composure. I felt like I was being too passive and cowardly about everything, just a small and unimportant detail. My jealousy of Sapphire was steadily growing, whether I liked it or not. She was strong, brave, attractive, outgoing, and able to take charge, while I could hardly speak two sentences to a stranger.

I nearly tripped over a rock on the way, but eventually we got to Lavaridge. People gasped, stared, and whispered, obviously unprepared to see three teenagers and a few dozen Magma grunts following them. Some ran away, others shouted for people to come see. As we walked down a main street, a girl who looked no older than 18 ran out in front of us. Her hair was bright red, and she had in an absolutely ridiculous fanning ponytail. I knew this girl must've been Flannery, the town's Gym Leader. My stomach immediately tied itself in a knot, I definitely didn't need to be meeting her while I was probably looking like a very sweaty criminal.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Flannery shouted, looking at us all closely with piercing red eyes.

"No, no, they're fine! They're not going to hurt anyone. They just need some hospitality, please." Sapphire explained. She was sweaty and haggard, face smeared with soot.

"Woah, another person who thinks I'm dumb just because I'm hot. Greeeat." Flannery quipped sarcastically, looking at Sapphire with an entirely unimpressed expression.

"I'm serious! Look, Team Magma is even crazier than we all thought. Apparently, none of these people even remember what they were doing up there. I think they were being controlled!" Sapphire told Flannery while doing frantic hand gestures.

"For the love of Arceus, you've got to be the stupid one he-" Flannery cut off her sentence with a yelp of pain as Swash threw the metallic sphere he was carrying at her, looking incredibly unimpressed with the cheap instance of the "You Have To Believe Me" trope forming before his eyes. "What the hell is this?" Flannery asked, examining it.

"What we found inside of…something." Sapphire said. People in the crowd behind us tensed.

"Something?" Flannery said.

"Apparently, it was an artificial replica of their leader. And it seemed to be influencing the behavior and memories of these people…it's really high tech, whatever it is. They really don't remember anything." Sapphire said.

"And here I thought my job wouldn't get any crazier." Flannery said, rotating the sphere in her hands. "So, you're gonna push like fifty jobless amnesiacs off on me and just leave, huh?" Flannery deadpanned.

"Well, we don't really know what else to do…we were the ones who stopped Team Magma in the first place, you know." Sapphire said, seeming a little offended.

"Relax, I'm just kidding. I'll take them. We'll try to find out things about their memories and this weird metal thingy, don't worry. Maybe you can even challenge me some time. But you're gonna have to wait for that…and honestly that's sort of your fault, since you've brought all these people here. You're lucky hardly anything happens here." Flannery said, giggling. Sapphire sighed sharply, but remained cordial.

"Thank you. We'll be going soon. It was nice meeting you." Sapphire said, putting out her hand. Flannery hesitated and weakly accepted, and she was promptly caught off guard by the strength of the handshake. Flannery then steadily led the crowd away, and we were left alone again.

"Sapphire…shouldn't we go see Mismagius again on our way to Professor Cozmo? I think she could help us understand this Team Magma stuff." I suggested.

"Yeah, because I totally want to spend more time with a crazy ghost." Sapphire said, rolling her eyes.

"She's nice, in a weird kind of way. You liked her when you thought she was some old lady.." I argued.

"Fine, we'll go back then…I do admit that she's learned how to make damn good sandwiches over the centuries." Sapphire said, smirking.

"Maybe she'll tell me more about what exactly it is that I can do…" Wally suddenly added. His sad tone caught our attention, and we looked towards him. "I just…lately…I feel like I'm really just getting in the way. Mint mostly knows what she's doing already, half the time it feels like she obeys commands because she's 'supposed' to." Wally said, sounding upset and somewhat spiteful.

"You have a lot of time to figure things out. Don't pressure yourself so much" I reassured as I hugged him, trying my best to be comforting.

"You'll be fine… We'll all be fine…whatever the hell is going on, we can handle it." Sapphire said in a calming tone. "Just relax, don't rush yourself. We should stay in town a little longer, we've already seen a lot today." Sapphire said, placing a hand on Wally's shoulder. He looked up at her with a surprised, disappointed expression, before releasing a defeated sigh.

"I guess you're right." Wally agreed, sighing again.

"It's settled then! We're going to the hot springs!" Sapphire yelled triumphantly, but Wally and I just stared at her.

"Fuck being hot. I'm fucking tired of being fucking hot, I almost got burned alive not even an hour ago…" I muttered, licking my chapped lips.

"I would love some ice cream right now. And a cold shower too…" Wally said dreamily.

"What about an ice cream shower?" I suggested, smirking. That was quite a pleasant mental image...You know, because I'm not a pervert at all.

"S-shut up!" Wally squeaked, a blush forming on his face.

In the end, we did end up going to take cold showers at the Pokémon Center before getting ice cream. It was a simple, innocent sort of fun, enough to take the crazy edge off of what had just happened for a little while. But as we walked out of the ice cream shop, an old couple spotted us and came over. The old man was holding a small, pink and cream cat Pokémon, which was wearing a small white scarf. "Ah, visitors! Can I interest you in this Skitty?" the old man blurted out, holding the Skitty up high. It yawned and licked its paw indifferently.

"Why are you trying to get rid of it?" Sapphire asked, looking at them skeptically. "You can't just pass off a Pokémon on anyone, you know."

"Well, we've been trying for a while now, but no one here really seems to want her…" The man said sadly.

"It's quite a shame…" The old woman added in.

"Why not? It seems really cute!" Wally said, reaching out to pet it. Immediately, the Skitty opened its mouth, revealing unexpectedly sharp and numerous teeth, and drove them into Wally's hand. We gasped slightly, and the old man and old woman seemed entirely unperturbed. Wally quickly yanked his hand away, yelping loudly in pain. "It bit me!" he yelled, examining his hand.

"Yeah, that's the problem right there…" The old man said, sighing.

"I'm going to take her then!" Wally declared.

"But didn't she just draw blood?" The old woman asked.

"I've got plenty of band-aids. And that just shows me that I have to be the one to teach her to be nicer! I'm not turning a blind eye to this!" Wally said. He probably just wanted it because it was cute, but whatever made him sound more impressive…

"Well, that's not exactly a simple thing to do…It's had a tough time, after all, with its owner gone…" The old woman said mournfully.

"Gone? Like, on a trip or something?" Wally asked. Sometimes, his innocence was sort of heartbreaking, because it was really obvious from her tone of voice what had really happened.

"He's dead, of course." the old man said bluntly.

"O-oh…" Wally replied, "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Hiking accident. This poor Skitty hasn't been the same since… She always used to go with him. Everyone thought the man was a trifle mad, being accompanied by a Skitty on such harsh terrain, but sure enough, she handled things just fine. She's very proud, and she doesn't take well to strangers. Are you sure you still want her?" the old man asked.

"I'll try my best!" Wally declared with conviction, as the man and woman looked at each other, shrugged, and put Skitty in her Pokéball.

"Good luck!" The old woman said with mock cheer, giving Wally a somewhat forced smile as she handed him the .

"Thanks! Bye!" Wally said happily. As we walked away, I heard a pair of deep sighs coming from the old couple, as they walked off in the opposite direction. I had a sinking feeling that Wally may have just gotten a bad bargain.

* * *

We stayed in the town overnight, since it was getting late and we were exhausted. Wally seemed especially restless that night, and I ended up being awake before I could even get in 4 hours. "Ruby, uh, can I…ask you something?" Wally said hesitantly, looking at me with wide eyes as he sat up in the bed.

"S-Sure…" I yawned, rubbing my eyes.

"A-am I doing a good job?" Wally asked, and I could just barely make out a frown as my eyes adjusted to the darkness.

"A good job…with what, exactly?" I asked tiredly, not exactly understanding the question.

"You know, being a trainer and stuff, traveling with you and Sapphire…Am I doing…a good job?" Wally asked again. That time, it was more pleading and forceful than before.

"Of course, Wally…You're doing great…We wouldn't be the same without you." I said, smiling gently. I sat up and gently placed a kiss on his cheek, and put a hand in his hair to begin stroking it.

"But…Lexis has been gone for a while now…and not much has changed without him, has it?" Wally said worriedly.

"It'd only make things worse if we tried to find him…He's got a right to his own decisions." I told Wally, explaining my honest opinion.

"So that's how it is then…You're that okay with it?" Wally asked, sounding somewhat disappointed. I didn't have an answer, so he started speaking again after an uncomfortable pause.

"So...If I left, how would that make you feel? Lexis was our friend, and you say it was okay for him to leave…What about me?" Wally asked, voice choking up a little.

"Wally, that's not how it is…I would never want you to leave…" I said sincerely. I stopped stroking his hair and wrapped my arm around him while gently leaning against him.

"…Would you want Sapphire to leave?" Wally asked, apparently not satisfied with the answer.

"No, Sapphire is a very nice friend, even if we do argue sometimes…" I said, feeling a little more uneasy suddenly.

"Do you think she's…pretty?" Wally asked.

"Well, frankly, yes. A lot of people do." I answered, still being honest.

"Oh…" Wally said, sounding somewhat sad. "W-well, uh, what do you think about me?" Wally asked, in a small, hesitant voice.

"You're very special to me… You know that, don't you?" I said, frowning and kissing him again. He was apparently still unconvinced, since he kept talking.

"Am…am I pretty? Compared to Nee-san, even…" Wally asked, looking straight into my eyes.

"Of course you are, Wally…" I told him, intentionally trying to make my voice sound sweeter and more soothing.

"Well, maybe a little…but, I'm still not strong like her…I can't be as wonderful as you or her…I'm just…I just…I just want a favor." Wally said, sighing.

"What is it? I'll try my best…" I said.

"It's just that…I want you to tell me if you love me." Wally said.

"I-If I what?" I said, blushing ferociously in the darkness and pretending I didn't hear him.

"Tell me you love me! I-I mean…i-_if _you love me…" Wally said hesitantly, turning away from me.

"I-It's only been a short time, Wally…If I say it now, what merit does it have? I don't want to make light of such a strong word…" I answered, feeling knots in my stomach form.

"A-are you trying to say you don't? I-is that it? I-I love you, Ruby…Is that good enough? W-will you say it now?" Wally said, voice choking up. He tightly took my hand in his and looked me in the eyes.

"It's an important word, Wally…a special word…" I feebly explained. Wally seemed even more agitated now.

"But you said I'm special to you! If it's a special word, then shouldn't you be able to say it to me? W-why don't you love me? I thought you of all people would understand! A-aren't I trying hard enough? Is it because I'm not good enough?! What do I have to do, Ruby? When do I become good enough for you to say it?!" Wally asked quietly but desperately, as he began to cry, still facing away from me. And once again, I didn't respond, because I simply couldn't think of how to do it.

* * *

**HOORAY, CHAPTER 13. And Wally not fully understanding relationships. And what the fuck even Maxie. And a lolcat...I mean, a Skitty.**


	14. My Body Wasn't Ready

**Ch 14**

**My Body Wasn't Ready**

**Your reviews are really encouraging, but I've noticed I have yet to receive any reviews beyond chapter 10, although I have received hundreds of views since then. Without reviews, I find it more difficult to keep investing time and energy into this. I don't purely write this for my enjoyment, or else it wouldn't be on this website. I want this to be a story that pleases and impresses as many people as reasonably possible, as I understand that interest in any story is limited by it's style, execution, and primary subject matter. Please consider reviewing if you would like to ask, comment on, or suggest anything. I would sincerely appreciate it. But with that being said, my primary goal will always be for you to wholeheartedly enjoy this fanfiction of mine, review or not.**

"Wally..." I finally began to answer. "Wally, no...it's not about whether you're good enough or if you 'deserve' those words. It's just that relationships need time to mature and strengthen, because you don't know what will happen down the line. And, to be honest..." I paused, looked around aimlessly, and then took a deep breath. "It proves that we're not ready for that if you're trying to manipulate me into saying something like that, just because you don't have faith in yourself..." I told him bluntly, doing my best to ignore the pangs of guilt that accompanied it.

"W-well why blame me? I didn't ask for this, I-I just thought that maybe...being a trainer a-and being with you would make me happy. I w-want to make you happy too, b-but I don't know how. I don't think I'm doing it right. I-I don't think I'm doing anything right." Wally said, looking up at me again as he steadily stopped crying.

"If you want me to reassure you or show you that I care…something like 'I love you' isn't how it's done. It's my actions, the way I treat you, the things I say, the things I don't say…And I can say right now that I really do care for you, like, a lot… I want to protect you, and show you affection, and all of those things, it's just that…I don't really think I'm doing anything right either." I said, blushing. "I don't have all the solutions, Wally…we're just a couple of kids, trying to understand things we probably shouldn't be involved in. It's hard, even though it hasn't been very long… But I think we could probably make a difference, if we really try…" I said hesitantly. I shyly grabbed hold of Wally's hand, wiping his tears with the other hand. "Let's promise, okay?" I said, forcing a smile.

"Promise what?" Wally asked, in a quiet, perplexed voice.

"We'll do our best to get through this, together…even if it's scary, or even if we feel like giving up and going home. Isn't that what you want? To be brave and strong?" I said gently, as I brushed aside a stray lock of his hair.

"Y-yeah! We'll promise with a kiss!" Wally said, cracking a smile.

"Wally, that's so cheesy…literally on the top 10 list of cheesiest things ever." I said, smirking.

"That's the whole point…if it's something dumb and cliché like that, then it doesn't seem so scary anymore." Wally explained, seemingly impressed with himself.

"Or you just wanna kiss me again." I said, grinning.

"Honestly, yeah, that'd be nice right now." Wally said with a blush.

"Oh…" I said, coughing and blushing as well.

"So, aren't you gonna do it?" Wally asked.

"I-I was in the heat of the moment the first time…" I said, blushing and looking away.

"Well, heat this moment up or something…" Wally said impatiently, blushing and looking down towards the bed.

"It's not really the same to just…" I started, but Wally interrupted.

"Fine…" He said, closing his eyes and quickly pressing his lips to mine. He was surprisingly eager, for someone who had apparently been so scared to do it. The kiss was longer than my spur of the moment peck back in Fallarbor, and it was sort of nice, but it was clear it didn't come from experience. We didn't even open our mouths, we just kind of stayed like that, charged with sexual tension and a sudden reminder we were all alone in a bedroom. It was only for a second or two, but it felt like an hour, until we realized neither of us had the balls to do anything else. We giggled at the ridiculousness of it all, without even saying another word. We could sleep in the same bed, make dirty jokes, hug, cuddle, kiss on the cheek, but when it came to this step, we suddenly felt like 6 year olds? It was definitely a hilarious thought, and it managed to block out negativity long enough for us to go back to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, we immediately went to get news on the Team Magma grunts after getting ready for the day. They were all housed in a shelter by now, and news had circulated all around town. Nothing about the memories had been found, and no one was familiar with the mechanical sphere. However, they managed to dismantle it, and they found some odd, gooey tissue inside and a very efficient cooling system and power source. Apparently, the tissue was a culture of Ditto cells, formatted into highly complex neural cells. To avoid a somewhat odd and confusing talk, it's basically like this: Somehow, Team Magma must have created a pyrokinetic clone of Maxie from the cells of Ditto, and the sphere contained inside was made to control the body and think just like Maxie. The former grunts became restless and uneasy when told, many unable to believe it, a few starting to fear that they too were simply some sort of strange clone. Not knowing how to comfort them, and not even fully understanding the situation ourselves, we simply left.

We went back on our way to Mismagius's house and Fallarbor quickly, not wanting to waste time. Mismagius sat sipping iced tea in her human form, not at all surprised when we came in. "So, what happened?" She asked pleasantly, telekinetically placing three cups of ice tea on the table.

"Team Magma is goddamn insane, that's what happened." Sapphire told her, slumping down onto the couch with a groan.

"Oh? Shame I wasn't there to see it for myself! I love a good old-fashioned show of madness!" she cried, cackling as purple flames erupted around her. Wally flinched strongly, and I tightly held his hand.

"But…why weren't you there? You're like, 900 years old and immortal or whatever, you could've done that easily!" Sapphire asked, after nearly choking on her tea due to the sudden burst of fire.

"Ah, that's kind of embarrassing, you know." Mismagius said, blushing.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sapphire asked.

"I'm stuck here! I've been stuck here for 300 years!" Mismagius shouted as if were supposed to already be aware of that, the entire room shaking slightly as she did so.

"Wait…so you were lying about those stories of being a human the other day?" Wally asked.

"Well, not quite. I can leave, really, but all of my power is confined to this house and the surrounding area. My soul is bound to this house by a curse. If I leave, I've only got my wits."

"…You mean stuff like that is real?" Wally said, eyes widening.

"Well, duh. Over 600 supernatural creatures for you to choose from, and this is what you choose to doubt?" Mismagius asked rhetorically, sniggering. Wally blushed, and didn't say anything else.

"Why don't you just break the curse?" I asked skeptically.

"Eh, I figured I don't really need to. Trust me, I was angry as hell the first decade or so, but hey, whatever. I can still do whatever I want around here, and when the need arises, a few fresh human corpses and some plants and Pokémon parts have every ingredient needed to break the curse…No one can _really _lock me up for good, but by time I calmed down and started getting visitors, I didn't have the heart to kill and go through all the trouble. Aren't you all lucky I'm a softie now?!" Mismagius laughed, a shrill, high cackle.

"…So who's the one that did it?" I asked, eager for the answer.

"An ancestor of Phoebe's…As a member of the lineage, and a genius in occult matters, it wasn't all that hard for her."

"So, we'd love to advance your character more, but you aren't a main character anyways…" Sapphire said impatiently.

"Don't you talk about that around me, dear." Mismagius said calmly, her eyes becoming deep, black pits in her face as she gave an incredibly wide smile with long, sharp, thin teeth. I clenched Wally's hand tightly and shuddered, while Wally gasped in horror. Wasn't Sapphire the one who said no one likes to be reminded of the 4th wall?

"U-uh, b-but…As I was saying, could you answer a question for us please?" Sapphire said, with her face so pale she looked like a ghost too.

"I'd be delighted." Mismagius said calmly, with a gentle smile.

"Team Magma's grunts weren't willingly following them…And the Maxie we met wasn't even a real person. It was some kind of clone that was controlling them, because when we destroyed it they had no idea what they were doing anymore, and they don't remember anything." Sapphire explained as calmly as she could.

"Well, as much as it sounds like a shitty B-movie, Team Magma is a shitty B-movie of a team, so I'm not so surprised." Mismagius said. "It's probably telepathic in nature. Since the source has been destroyed, they'll typically start to remember things within a few days…If not, that's life." Mismagius said, sounding entirely unconcerned.

"But that's dozens of people who will potentially have the rest of their lives ruined by Team Magma! You can't just say that like it's no big deal!" Sapphire countered

"Heh. It's funny, what you just did." Mismagius said, looking right at Sapphire, her voice oddly flat and emotionless. Although she didn't actually changed her appearance at all, she somehow looked more frightening than ever in that moment. Simply glancing at her would probably cause a disgusting churning of primal fear in the pit of your stomach. "You tried to tell a being of great power and intelligence what to do. You tried to tell a nine-hundred year old being what to do…" She smirked.

"Now, let me ask you something. I'm not mad, I just want to know." She said, resting her head on her hands as she looked at Sapphire. "Where the hell were you then?"

"W-what are you talking about? I just said…it's wrong of you to trivialize an issue like that! That's..that's all!" Sapphire said.

"Well…Where the hell were you to tell me what the hell I should've done when I saw those awful things, all that time ago… comrades falling, family disappearing from beneath my feet, villages burning, cities crumbling…." she took a deep breath, her face becoming contorted in some odd combination of several different emotions. Suddenly, she broke out screaming. "WHERE WERE YOU? WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU, YOU AWFUL, JUDGEMENTAL, DESPICABLE HUMAN? YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHAT I SHOULD DO? YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR TEAM MAGMA?! TO HELL WITH THEM! TO HELL WITH ALL OF THEM! I DON'T GIVE A SHIT! IF YOU'RE AFTER GROUDON OR KYOGRE, YOU'RE BETTER OFF DEAD! YOU'RE BETTER OFF ROASTING IN HELL!" Sapphire looked entirely taken aback, and Wally put his face in his hands and leaned against me. Mismagius took another deep, ragged breath and paused, and I noticed the chair she sat in was suddenly sagging and becoming more ancient looking by the second. It became covered in spiders and tatters, and every shadow in the room suddenly became far more pronounced and detailed. Black, slimy bugs poured from beneath furniture and doors, and Mismagius began to sing some sort of horrible, wretched tune. Although it was very quiet, it seemed to hum, screech, and roar all at the same time. Windows became covered in strange black ooze, and the room became as dark as dusk.

Suddenly, Sapphire became unnaturally stiff, sitting bolt upright with her hands tightly clenched in her lap. She began to breathe heavily as the insects began to cover her, and Mismagius suddenly broke out in long, high pitched, screaming notes. I could hardly do anything but cover my ears and close my eyes, shuddering and sweating all over. My head hurt worse than anything imaginable, and my heart was pounding furiously in my chest. There were voices everywhere. Sneers, cackles, swears, little demons whispering awful things in my ears. If Wally or Sapphire said anything, it was entirely lost in the cacophony. Suddenly, just as it was really starting to get bad, it stopped in an instant.

Mismagius sat there, her eyes glistening with tears as our faces glistened with both sweat and tears. She was breathing heavily, staring down at her hands as she repeatedly opened and closed them. We said absolutely nothing. Sapphire was balled up on the couch, crying, and Wally had his arms tightly wrapped around me, as if his life depended on it. Meanwhile and I was simply staring in absolute terror and disbelief at Mismagius. I just couldn't take my eyes off of her, for all the worst reasons.

"Go….go right now. Please." Mismagius pleaded, her voice sounding choked and raspy. Despite how incredibly morose and regretful it sounded, it was incredibly youthful, no older than 25. "I'm so, so sorry, all of you." she said, as the door slowly opened by itself. Sapphire was about to say something, but Mismagius simply looked at her and she stopped. The fridge door opened in the kitchen, and a few Pecha and Sitrus Berries flew out of it and tumbled into a plastic bag that lazily drifted out of one of the cabinets. The bag hovered over to Sapphire, who shakily and wordlessly grabbed it. "Eat them as soon as you leave. The insects were already biting before I stopped…But you're not a Pokémon, so please rest as soon as you can." Mismagius instructed quietly, voice shaky and weak. Sure enough, Sapphire was barely standing and covered in bloody cuts and welts when I looked closely. They had even chewed through a few places in her clothes. Before any of us could even respond, we were suddenly standing outside of the house, several meters away.

Wally hugged Sapphire tightly and began to cry into her chest. Sapphire was silent for a moment, simply rubbing his back, but before long she began to softly cry along with him. And after another brief moment, I found myself hugging them too, crying but hardly even registering it.

After a few moments, we finally started to trudge toward Fallarbor, our spirits lower than ever. Sapphire slowly ate the berries she was given as we walked in oppressive silence. The gloomy, dusty conditions definitely didn't help us forget the fact that for those few brief, horrifying moments, Mismagius had every intention to watch Sapphire be slowly eaten alive. Although she looked better after eating the berries, she started to complain of nausea and dizziness. Wally gave her some of the medicine and antiseptic he had packed, and held her hand the entire time. Not even someone like me had the audacity to be jealous.

Sapphire cleaned herself up at the Pokémon Center once we arrived at Fallarbor a little later. When asked what had happened, she just half-heartedly smiled and claimed to have fallen into a patch of thorny bushes. She asked for a room just after leaving the bathroom, and claimed to be feeling better when we asked if she was okay, just "a little tired". Obviously that was a lie, because she went into her room and never came back out until morning, even though it couldn't have been later than 6 pm when she went in.

Meanwhile, Wally and I went to take the meteorite to Professor Cozmo. He couldn't have been happier. His eyes lit up and his posture became straighter as he held it in his hands, laughing with wild happiness. Still, when he noticed how we were almost the opposite, he was sensible enough to know something wasn't right.

"…What's wrong? You should be rejoicing, you two! You're heroes!" He said, beaming.

"It's just about something that happened on the way here. It's no big deal, thanks for your concern…" Wally told him, forcing a smile.

"Oh, well that's…" Professor Cozmo suddenly paused, stroking the surface of the meteorite he held, lifting it up and down. After a moment or two, he even sniffed it and gave it a cautious lick. Wally and I stole questioning glances at each other after he did that. He furtively looked back and forth and then frowned, furrowing his eyebrows. Suddenly, he threw the meteorite down, as hard as he could, and it loudly shattered against the floor. Wally and I jumped in surprise, and Cozmo has a look of sheer terror on his face. "IT'S FAKE! " he screamed. "THEY STILL HAVE IT! TEAM MAGMA PULLED ANOTHER FILTHY TRICK! WHY THOSE-AAAAHHHHH!" he fumed, running around, scattering papers, and knocking things over in frustration.

"Professor, sir, please calm down…" Wally called out timidly. After a few moments, Professor Cozmo finally did calm down. He sat in a chair, slouching heavily.

"You guys…I'm..I'm terribly sorry, but you really must keep searching for that meteorite! It's of utmost importance! What Team Magma is really doing with it, they can't be allowed to do it!" Professor Cozmo pleaded, looking at us with a dead serious expression.

"…I get the feeling you're not telling us something…" I muttered.

"Come again?" Cozmo asked.

"You're hiding something." I said bluntly, frowning.

"I..I can't tell you everything…I couldn't possibly."

"If Team Magma took the time and resources to stage a diversion with a fake meteorite, there's something you're not telling us. Something that you need to tell us right now." I said, trying to be calm but feeling my frustration build nonetheless.

"I…confess. I was working with Team Magma, under the impression they were honest people, and I have to say…It's not really about how powerful the meteorite is. It's about what the meteorite really is…" Cozmo nervously explained, playing with his hands and looking around the room with a hesitant, cautious expression.

"And the meteor is…" I asked, somewhat impatiently.

"It's..it's a container. And it's containing the core of a Deoxys...just like the others." Professor Cozmo murmured, fidgeting uncomfortably.

"The others? What do you mean, the others?!" I said, knowing full well what a Deoxys was.

Professor Cozmo sighed, and walked over to his computer, which was left entirely untouched by his earlier tantrum. He opened something up, typed something in, and just like that, there was a "pssshhh" sound coming from beneath the floor, along with the sound of moving gears and metal. The middle of the floor opened up so wide we all had to stand in a corner of the room. A massive glass cylinder, filled with a greenish-teal liquid, and 7 smaller surrounding cylinders rose up out of the floor. In the smaller cylinders, there were meteorites that looked much like the fake one we brought to Cozmo. And in the large cylinder, there was a Speed Forme Deoxys floating inside. Tubes coming from the bottom of the cylinder were connected to various places on its body, and it's eyes were wide open. Wally and I went completely slackjawed, and our eyes were as big as saucers.

"Oh, don't be like that. It's unconscious. Deoxys just can't blink." Cozmo said reassuringly.

"That's not what the problem is!" I screamed at him.


	15. Sweet Vengeance

**Ch 15**

**Sweet Vengeance**

**-Updates eight days late with Starbucks-**

**But seriously, I'm gonna give myself one more chance to get this right and then I'm taking the thing about my supposed update frequency out of my summary.**

* * *

"So you live in a little house like this…but you've made the discovery of the century?" I asked, entirely incredulous.

Cozmo frowned for a moment before speaking. "Well, I honestly didn't know the meteors were living, developing Deoxys when I first discovered the massive amounts of energy inside of them…For all intents and purposes, it just seemed like strange crystal on the inside. But, when I found out, I had every intention to expose it to the public. Unfortunately, the League wouldn't stand for it."

"…Why?" I asked, hesitantly.

"Greed. Strong, soulless greed and misplaced priority. They value these meteors as a power source over their value as rare, wonderful Pokémon…I managed to hide these meteors from them, and hopefully I'll be able to study them without harming them and then release them all when the time comes…But Meteor Falls itself is already almost barren. That's why there are all these abandoned houses around. There's not much interest in this place anymore…" Cozmo said, with a rather defeated expression on his face.

"But…why? That can't possibly be legal..." I argued, head beginning to swim with questions "They'd kill the young of highly intelligent creatures just for that?"

"It isn't legal at all. That's why they abandoned me. They want to look like they stick to their precious laws and strict moral codes about treating every Pokémon fairly and humanely. But those laws are, to be frank, fake as all hell." Cozmo explained, sighing and chewing his bottom lip for a moment before continuing. "The League has it all just like they want it. They pull in every child with cartoons, battles, toys, merchandise, right from the get go. They make us love Pokémon more than we love each other. They want it so no one in their right mind would think to seriously harm a Pokémon. They want to present them as creatures of wonder and impossibility. That way, all the secrets can be kept to themselves. It's all the little remarkable things that no one really questions. Everyone just accepts, and doesn't dare try too hard to find out about."

"What are you talking about? I don't exactly follow it too well…" Wally said, frowning.

"I'm saying that the League is full of violent, greedy, self-centered bastards. Almost all of them." I tensed up and gritted my teeth as Cozmo said it, thinking of my father. But I didn't have the nerve to interrupt him and call him out. "They want us all to believe that the bad times of experimentation, dissection, abuse, and extermination are so far behind us they're only stories. They want us to forget about how Mt. Pyre got there. They want us to forget Pokéball technology was originally conceived as a one way conversion. Arceus forbid anyone think too hard about all the technology right under our nose." Cozmo sneered bitterly, a wry smirk on his face. He looked at us as if daring us to reply, but when he was only met with silence, he sneered again and continued talking.

"It's perfect. No one in their right mind would believe anything is wrong with the League. Hell, no one even knows how far the League's got its filthy, warped, demented nails dug into our entire economic and political structure. Everything's become so quick, fun, safe, convenient, it's like our whole world is just a children's game. And that's just how they want you to feel! Anyone who calls them out gets called crazy, and they end up just like me. In a little shack of bitterness and betrayal, quickly going broke as they desperately try to hold their dreams together." A wry, shriveled, spiteful grin crossed Cozmo's face as he said it.

"I-I'm sure you're just misunderstanding! You're just upset and confused, that's all!" Wally cried in disbelief.

"Yeah, don't say things like that just because you're in trouble! I bet it's the other way around. I bet you're the one who wanted to abuse the Deoxys meteorites." I almost snarled, still feeling offended by his remark about the League members.

"Oh, don't make me laugh! Really? That's the way you're going to be? Really? Giving me this wide-eyed idealism bullshit when I'm just trying to give you fair warning? Never mind how I've worked for the League for years only to be abandoned, humiliated, and nearly erased. Never mind how Lanette busts her ass to obtain information without getting caught. Just because you 'believe' in them, just because they're 'on your side', you want to defend the only side of them they hope you'll ever see. That isn't even optimism. You two are just damn stupid." Cozmo spat coldly, the intensity of his eyes indicating that he took deep personal offense. A twang of guilt rose up despite everything when I actually registered his facial expression, that's just how angry and distraught he looked.

"…But what about Team Magma?" I brought them up again out of desperation, not knowing what else to say. "Why doesn't anyone else do anything?"

"Team Magma has everyone thinking exactly what they want them to think. They don't want anyone to be scared. Not yet, anyway. They want everyone to think they're some kind of joke. Just a bumbling little misguided gang, doing things more for the hell of it than to actually bring about change. The real activity is something they go through a lot of trouble to make sure you don't know about." Cozmo sounded absolutely disgusted.

"But…someone else has to realize how wrong it is. What does the Leag-" I cut myself off, dreading the answer.

"Pay them enough, negotiate well, they don't give a damn. Simple as that. How else did Giovanni become the Viridian Gym Leader just a few years ago? Isn't it incredibly obvious how little law enforcement we have? People have been constantly conditioned to believe that all you need for safety are Pokémon. No strong police presence, no firearms. It saves the League money, allows them to take credit for our safety and happiness, and once again allows them to make everything about Pokémon. Lovely system." Cozmo deadpanned, making that awful grin again.

"I just…why are you telling me this? What do I do? I'm just a kid…I didn't ask for this…I didn't want to know that the world is so awful." I mumbled, trying not to allow my voice to crack under the pressure of tears that threatened to come pouring out any minute. Cozmo sounded so direly serious, so hateful, his voice practically dripped with venom. It didn't fit him at all, and that only made it worse. What did he expect me to do? He was older and smarter, yet he was telling me this as if I were going to solve it all somehow.

"You asked for it. So I told you. Simple as that. I don't want you to do anything but get me that meteorite. Whatever they're aiming for, success is just around the corner with the meteorite in their possession." Cozmo explained calmly, as his expression softened and he put a hand on my shoulder. "I know I acted kind of scary for a moment, but I just wanted you to understand that this is serious. Be safe, not stupid." he told me, calmly but sternly. I just nodded in reply. "You too. You're going to need each other. This is nothing to be doing alone." he added, looking over to Wally.

"Y-yes sir…" Wally answered. "Thank you, sir."

"I don't deserve any thanks. Just take my number so we can keep in contact." Cozmo said, and once we both had his number on our Pokénavs we were out of the door.

"Ruby…we'll be fine, right? It'll all turn out okay, and we'll be able to go back home and tell everyone…" Wally said as we walked away, almost as if he were talking to himself instead of me. He clenched my hand tightly, looking up at me with a forced smile.

"We'll be fine." I said as reassuringly as possible, before lifting his chin to steal a quick kiss. He responded with a surprised blush. I giggled and ruffled his hair, and then sighed and looked down towards the ground.

"Ruby?" Wally asked, in the 'there's something you want to say, isn't there?' sort of way.

"It's just…I don't want to try getting badges anymore, after what Cozmo said. Even if the League isn't as awful as he told us, this seems a lot more important." I explained, frowning slightly. Even if I didn't have much confidence in actually getting there, it was a bit difficult to give up the image of possibly, eventually, maybe defeating the Champion. But if Cozmo's words were anything to go by, Team Magma and the League would want nothing more than me putting off his request, pushing things to the back of my mind, and trying to chase my semi-serious-almost-dream.

"Yeah, that makes sense…" Wally said, looking a bit forlorn as well. "But what are we going to do instead? We've got no idea where to look. If Maxie has a bunch of goo clones thingies doing his stuff for him, they could be anywhere!" Wally pointed out, his eyes wide with worry.

"I was thinking that once Sapphire feels better, we could head back towards Petalburg. I want to hear what my dad has to say about all of this, and a phone call won't really cut it. I want to do it face to face…So I can be completely sure that everything is going to okay…" I said somewhat hesitantly, hardly believing that my dad could possibly be a knowing part of something we were just told was awful and deceitful.

"Oh…Well, I-I guess that's a good place to start…" Wally agreed in a shaky tone. It was obvious what he was thinking.

"Don't be like that…He'll set all this bullshit straight. My dad always tells it like it is. And we won't rush or anything…we need to train our Pokémon and approach this calmly." I said, smiling. When Wally only half smiled in response, I bent down in front of him, with my back facing towards him.

"What are you doing?" Wally asked in a confused tone.

"It's a piggyback ride. We're gonna go on a date." I told him simply, feeling a bit silly.

"…This is how a date works?" Wally asked uncertainly. "Where are we even gonna go?"

"I dunno, you can figure that out…I just want to try this with you, since it's one of those dumb cute things couples do and Sapphire isn't here to make fun of me for it…"

"You're silly." Wally said lightheartedly, as he climbed onto my back. As I got up and secured his legs, I was relieved that he wasn't really even heavy. I was definitely expecting more, since I knew Sapphire was way stronger than me and I knew Wally had gained some weight since I had first met him.

"I recommend dinner, you're almost like a bird." I pointed out as I began to walk.

"I'm a short, skinny, late bloomer, it's not my fault!" Wally said. "Are you implying that you want me to gain weight?"

"Nah, you're fine, it's just that you're apparently 30% air." I said, smirking.

"Rubyyy!" Wally cried as he yanked my hat off. "Take that!"

"Put that back! My hair is a mess!" I yelled, turning my head to try and see what he was doing with it.

"No!" Wally shot back, putting it on his head instead.

"It's got my germs!" I argued.

"I've kissed you, I don't care about your germs!" Wally said triumphantly.

"Fine, you can keep it…since you look pretty cute in it…" I muttered.

"I do?" Wally said excitedly, grinning.

"Yeah, it matches your hair since it's got a green headband."

"I'll take good care of it!" Wally chirped.

I steadily walked around for about twenty minutes while Wally checked his Pokénav for a good place to eat in the area. Not that there were many, since Fallarbor is a town of ashes figuratively as well as literally. But we did manage to find something quaint and unassuming near the Pokémon Center that apparently had good food. I put Wally down outside of the door and then put on a spare hat. We walked inside, greeted by a young man with pink hair. I felt pretty sorry for him, since it's really gotta suck to be a pink haired waiter. He was polite and friendly though, so it wasn't bad at all.

Everything went perfectly fine at first. We sat down at a small table and ordered food, pasing time with small talk and a little shy flirting. I almost got a shrimp and pasta dish but Wally whined and pouted about how gross shrimp is and how it'd become really gross to kiss me until I agreed to get steak and potatoes. (which was available because the /real/ author was too lazy to make our dining experience more Japanese without resorting to something stereotypical and grossly misinformed, like nondescript sushi, ramen, or curry.) Wally got macaroni and cheese, and began begging cutely for bites of my steak even though he still had a third of his original serving left. He probably wasn't even actually that hungry, he just wanted to see me squirm in agony because he knew I couldn't say no even though I wanted to finish eating the steak.

"If you act like you're five, people will think I'm a pedo…" I teased, as he took yet another bite of steak from my outstretched fork.

"Never neglect your inner child. It keeps you young!" Wally declared proudly, the steak still tucked in one cheek, a smudge of cheese on the tip of his nose.

"So much for table manners." I said teasingly, leaning across the table to playfully lick the cheese off of his nose. Wally blushed and quickly swallowed his bite of steak in order to pout properly.

"You could've made me choke! I wasn't even ready for that!" Wally whined.

"Maybe you should eat without getting cheese on your nose then." I suggested, smirking

"H-how long was it there? Did people see it?" Wally asked, self-consciously wiping his face with a napkin.

"Wally, this is practically a ghost town."

"Well, you still could've just told me…." Wally pouted.

"But you're cute when you're frustrated. That wouldn't be any fun."

"I'm going to get up in the middle of the night and use your hats as socks." Wally said, smirking mischievously.

"I've been waking up with you tangled around my body for days, how would you not wake me up?" I asked. Wally immediately deflated and adopted an entirely dumbfounded expression.

"T-That's not important!" Wally snapped. "Can't we just have dessert now?" he pleaded.

"Be a big boy and finish your food first." I teased, motioning to his macaroni and cheese.

"I don't wanna…" he whined. "Ice cream is easier."

"You won't be big and strong if you keep eating ice cream." I chided in an intentionally parental manner.

"But if I stay cute and small, I can get away with begging you for ice cream forever! So I don't care!" Wally said joyfully. I groaned in defeat, he had an excellent point. In only a few more minutes, he was happily eating strawberry soft serve, while I had apple pie. True to his word, he ate every last bite, even though that third of his macaroni was still there. Amber happily took care of it once I sent her out, along with the scraps of potato and bits of steak I didn't want, then stood against my legs and whined for more. I gave her a small apology as I returned her, and then reached in my pocket to pay for our food.

"I can pay!" Wally offered in a somewhat upset tone.

"The whole point of a date is that I'm supposed to pay, because it shows that I'm a good boyfriend and I just want you enjoy yourself and stuff." I argued

"But we're both guys…" Wally pointed out

"I'm the, you know, more guyish guy, no offense." I said, smirking.

"W-well I'm bisexual!" Wally cried.

"Wally, don't even lie like that. All you've ever wanted is this hot gemstone right here." I said almost-flirtatiously, although I didn't quite manage the appropriate inflection and confidence in my voice, so it sounded really awkward, and I sounded like I was trying not to laugh on top of that, so Wally burst out laughing.

"You're adorable when you're being a dork." Wally said once he had calmed down enough to speak, although he was still giggling.

"I'm not a dork, I'm THE dork." I said, wiggling my eyebrows. Wally began to laugh harder, and even snorted a couple of times.

"B-but I really am bisexual!" Wally struggled to say, still getting over his laughter.

"Well, that's fine…I just don't see what's so great about girls. I've never had any sort of moment where I thought 'oh wow, I would totally kiss her'. "

"So if Sapphire and I were both total strangers, and you happened to see us one day, you'd rather have me?" Wally asked, in an honest, genuinely curious way.

"Well yeah, I've thought you look really cute ever since Mauville…" I told him shyly. Wally blushed in response, and looked down towards the table.

"I'm really that cute?" He squeaked, hardly able to look directly at me.

"Of course you are." I said, with a small smile.

"You're so sweet, Ruby…" Wally said, as he stood up and walked over to me. When I realized what he was doing, it had already happened. He tilted his head to the side and softly kissed me on the lips, with such gentle, careful pressure and duration I knew he meant it, but at the same time it was like he was afraid of breaking something. When he pulled back after a few seconds, I half-registered the sound of crumpling paper and jingling change. "Can I go pay now?" he asked, as I absent-mindedly watched him place a tip on the table.

"Uh..yeah…" I answered, sitting there with what I knew must've been an obvious blush. Wally giggled at me as he walked away. A few moments later he was back, smirking victoriously.

"I guess I can win against you after all~" He mused in a sing-song voice.

"But that- uh...well…you cheated!" I said accusingly, with all the immature hurt of a small child.

"No, I just found your weakness." Wally cheerfully corrected, as I grumbled and stood up to leave, since Wally was already standing.

We didn't do much more for the day, preferring to go back to the Pokémon Center and watch a bad movie with our Pokémon. (Except Skitty, who just looked up at us impatiently when she was sent out, then sat on a windowsill and ignored everyone.)

Wally and I were lying down on the bed together, while I held him in my arms. Swablu, Spinda, and Amber seemed genuinely interested in the movie, while Talla acted rather confused and kept periodically grunting and calling to them, which I can only assume meant she was asking them questions. Swash seemed to actually recognize that the movie was terrible and laughed along with us, while Soldier was entirely uninterested and ended up in an apparently unrelated conversation with Mint. I'm not sure what they were talking about, but Mint was contentedly curled up in Soldier's tail before long.

With a small smile, I realized that in such a comfortable, innocuous setting, nothing about the day we had just had seemed anywhere near as scary or confusing anymore….but just a few moments afterwards, I found myself faced with a much more temporary problem, although it was equally terrifying at that moment.

"Wally, what are you doing?!" I asked, as he moved to sit on the side of bed and began to undress.

"Putting my pajamas on." He said, in an entirely calm and natural tone. "What is it?"

"W-why right there?!" I asked fearfully.

"Why not?" He asked, turning his head towards me with an innocently questioning expression. His shirt was pulled up, exposing his pale back. He had also removed my hat, leaving him with messy hair.

"You didn't warn me!" I cried, blushing.

"You say I look good, I think you look good…We're both guys…The Pokémon don't care…so I didn't really think I needed to." Wally explained with slight confusion, obviously feeling that I was overreacting. "Why is it such a big deal? You do think I look good, right?"

"Well yeah, but we're like, involved now!" I answered, not sure whether I should look at him or not.

"You're weird." Wally teased, smirking as he completely took his shirt off and retrieved his pajamas from his backpack. "Why does that make it so different?"

"It just does! Because, um, I dunno…" I said, completely flustered.

"Because you're thinking of sex right now?" Wally offered, giggling as my blush intensified. Under other circumstances, I'd be mildly impressed that someone like him knew what sex even was, but all I could do in that situation was feel my embarrassment continue to grow.

"N-no, I, well, that's…" I stammered, unable to grasp how simple the truth of the matter was.

"But that's not what this is about…" Wally said. "I could just sleep on top of you in only my boxers, it's probably loosen you up a little." Wally told me, grinning mischievously. I tensed up immediately at the thought.

"No!" I shot back immediately.

"Fine." Wally said, smirking evilly as he tugged his pants off and crawled over to me in only his (dark green) boxers and socks. I scooted away and rolled onto my stomach, but quickly realized I had nowhere to go. He sat on my back, giggling as I blushed deeply.

"T-this isn't funny!" I cried, voice hardly stable due to my embarrassment.

"'Cause it's hilarious!" Wally said, grinning widely.

"Get off of me!" I shouted, too flustered to do anything more meaningful than squirm uncomfortably.

"This is what you get for teasing me all the time." Wally declared triumphantly, refusing to move for what felt like eternity. I noticed that many of our Pokémon were watching now, with expressions ranging from confusion (Talla) to amusement. (Spinda, Mint, Amber) Spinda even had a sketchbook out on her lap, and seemed to be feverishly drawing, looking back at us briefly every now and then.

"I'm sorry!" I pleaded.

"Realll~y?" Wally drew the word out mockingly.

"Yeah really!" I said desperately, and Wally finally listened. In only a couple of moments, he had his pajamas on, and he was lying next to me.

"I'm sorry." Wally said gently, with an innocent smile.

"Pfft." I said with fake hurt, as I faced away from him on the bed.

"Aww." Wally said as he snaked his arms around my torso and scooted closer to me. "Come on, turn around." Wally coaxed softly.

"No." I replied immaturely.

"Pleeease?" Wally begged cutely, and I gave in. Wally smiled and kissed me on my lips like he had done earlier.

"You're something else, you know that?" I muttered, wrapping my arms around him.

"You're one to talk." Wally answered teasingly, repositioning himself so his head would be nuzzled against my chest. In mere moments, he had fallen asleep, and sometime during the rest of the lame movie, I followed suit.


	16. Finding A Balance

**Ch 16**

**Finding a Balance**

I woke up at six thirty AM, to the sight of Wally still sleeping, as well as all the Pokémon. They were located in various places around the room, all sleeping soundly. (Skitty had not moved from her window sill perch at all by the looks of things) Despite the rather innocent and adorable scene, I still couldn't help but feel crushed and absolutely baffled by the massive responsibility and awful implications of recent events. Once I was free of the grogginess of sleep, they threatened to envelop and then suffocate me in tendrils of despair. Melodrama aside, the more I didn't want an awful truth, the more I began to believe in an awful truth.

* * *

I had never known my father all too well. Ever since I was very little, he'd usually be gone. He visited multiple regions while hardly sending home any money, but at first I was far too young and naïve to even consider holding it against him. Like many children, I thought any remotely cool thing my dad did was practically the best thing in the world. But slowly, around the age of ten, my feelings and opinions began to change. I began to feel lonely and confused, wondering why my dad hadn't been there for so many things. I grew more self-conscious, because people would always tease me about how I was "boring", poor, naturally quiet, and didn't have much interest in being as boisterous and adventurous as everyone else. They'd get frustrated with me because I often didn't go along with the conventional way a ten-year boy should be thinking, and sometimes they'd beat me up or ignore me for being "weird". Sometimes, they'd even tease me about my clothes and the hats I always wear. (My mother makes my hats for me from scratch, they were dealing low blows there.)

I know that comparatively it wasn't absolute hell or anything, but I often didn't quite know how to deal with it. My mother tried her best to show that she loved me, but time, money, and patience were all unusually limited for her. She had a job at Goldenrod City's flower shop, and although it wasn't too difficult, the pay was far from anything special. I don't want to say she was depressed, but it was most likely true. She was often unusually tired or frustrated, especially after speaking to my dad over the phone. I'd often be apologetically told to go outside and find something to do on my own, and she seemed emotionally distant even though she would be the first one to claim that everything is fine. She often didn't have the proper motivation to cook and get groceries, so we got by on lots of fast or delivered food. For a while before puberty really set in, allowing for a somewhat miraculous metabolic rate to come into play, I was frankly pretty fat because of it. That definitely didn't help my self-esteem.

I started to resent my dad and blame things on him. While my mother's worst days and obvious, somewhat overbearing attempts to compensate from time to time made me feel pathetically low for being angry at her, my dad was different. He was distant, and he seemed like the strong, honest, tough sort who could easily find a good, normal job and give my mom and I the help we really needed. Of course, I still had no idea what was really going on, but it was a good way to release the stress and frustration that built up. Around the age of twelve, I was through-and-through convinced I hated him. I first wanted to become a Trainer then, that way I could prove that I was someone who didn't mess around and was actually willing to make something of himself. And almost just as important to me at the time, perhaps I'd lose weight and find people who actually liked me. But when I was fourteen, my understanding of the situation changed once again.

My dad was suddenly given the position of a Gym Leader at Petalburg Gym. I was absolutely floored. Up to that point, I had no idea why he was always gone, or the full extent of what exactly he had been doing. But all at once, it was revealed to me. The common notion that a Gym Leader is just a person with natural talent and drive turned out to be a complete lie. In reality, my father had trained and studied for years, throughout various regions. He told me about the gene therapy, the exercises, the rigorous mental testing, and thoroughly learning all about hundreds of different kinds of Pokemon. He said that he deeply regretted not telling me earlier, but he felt that I wasn't old enough to fully understand before. Certain aspects of Gym Leader training, especially the gene therapy, and strenuous physical and mental exercise, were painful both physically and psychologically, and riddled you with side effects until your body fully acclimated...Sometimes, it never does. Which, to be more frank, means my dad could've died. More importantly, he always stressed that I was never to tell anyone. Despite how intensely interesting the things he told me were, it definitely isn't hard to keep secrets when you hardly have friends and you hardly talk. Plus, our education system works nothing like yours. You're gonna be pretty damn jealous when I tell you, and you might think it's a waste of time to be told about it, but I really do think it's necessary to let you know.

We are never required to go to school as you would be familiar with it. Education takes place entirely at home, with the use of adjustable electronic headsets delivered to the house when a child living there turns three. They're basically wireless headphones. Thanks to the existence of psychic types, and the study of how any Pokémon is able to understand any human or other Pokémon, my society basically invented them to be literal thinking or learning hats. They are worn for two hours at a time. There is no actual speaking involved, it's just relatively quiet patterns of sound, electrical impulses, and various wavelengths and frequencies of psionic signals. It begins by causing you to fall asleep within the first five minutes, and then for the remainder of the time you are taught whatever it is the lessons are about. The system is connected to the Internet, and everyone takes courses with multiple branches and subjects to choose from at varying speeds depending on their skill and comprehension. That is decided by evaluation scans and periodic automatic quizzing. But ultimately, everyone is usually done by the time they're thirteen. This is because the system is of high quality, has no interruptions or distractions, can be done every day, and hardly has any harmful, annoying, or unpleasant qualities that would detract from learning. After finishing, you may either become a Pokemon Trainer, or find a job. The first ten years or so are already the equivalent of a high school diploma, but you can continue for a few years and only have to worry about internship and experience for your desired field by sixteen or so. But now that I explained that, back to backstory.

A year after my father was given the Gym Leader position, when I was fifteen, my mother and I moved to Littleroot. I was able to see my father much more regularly, and my family became comfortably upper middle class. (My house has way more space than it does in the gam-...Nevermind. What game? Don't be stupid.) My father would send me gifts and invite us to spend time with him on his vacations and holidays, and my opinion of him warmed considerably. It's rather embarrassing to say that he bought my love/respect, and that wasn't the entirety of the situation, but admittedly his money and influence played a pretty big part in it. Despite our newfound happiness, I still wasn't sure why he would go through so much just for the uncertain chance of becoming a Gym Leader. However, every time I tried to bring it up he'd just answer something along the line of "following your dreams.". No matter how theatrical and passionate he got about his explanations, I got the feeling there was something he wasn't telling me. I knew it was pretty selfish of him to try and do it if he was already preoccupied with a wife and kid, and all of his words and actions otherwise never objectively indicated that he was really that selfish or strongly optimistic as a person. But I was at a complete loss no matter how I thought about it, so I gradually let it go. A few months later, I turned sixteen and I began my journey. It's much more comfortable to begin a journey when you've actually been in the region for a few months and have had a proper chance to study all the things you'll need to know about it. For a while, I considered starting almost as soon as I arrived, _but that would just be stupid, wouldn't it?_

* * *

But that's more than enough explanation for now. I suppose I got off track. I just don't exactly want to drudge up all the feelings related to the shameful confusion and distrust I felt towards my father. But hey, that was all pretty nice info I gave you in itself.

Back in bed at the Pokemon Center, I did the most appropriate and mature thing I could do at that moment. I buried my head into the pillow and did a lengthy moan, which happened to wake Wally up.

"What's wrong, Ruby?" Wally mumbled sleepily, while rubbing his eyes.

"It's already morning..." I muttered in a whiny tone.

"Any time of day is great when it's with you, Ru-kun." Wally cooed, as he reached to comfortingly stroke my cheek.

"Ru-kun?" I asked, blushing slightly.

Wally nodded with a simple smile before beginning to speak. "I was thinking about how it'd really cute to start using a nickname for you again yesterday. So there it is."

"Joy." I responded apathetically.

"I'll show you joy." Wally said with a mischievous smirk, as he delicately ran his tongue along my neck and then kissed it. I immediately tensed up and gasped slightly, bringing a hand to the area with incredible speed. "I'm sorry..." Wally said, sounding truly apologetic.

"Sure you are." I mumbled, blushing slightly.

"But I really am! Now tell me what's actually wrong." Wally gently commanded, frowning at me.

"I don't wanna go see my dad..." I muttered. "He's gonna tell me something awful, I just know it..."

Wally hugged me tenderly, and spoke in a worried tone. "It's for the best, isn't it? Ignorance won't help us now."

"I just can't imagine why he'd be a part of anything so horrible." I started "I've always felt like I don't know him as well as I should, but this is just..." I sighed deeply, and Wally began to rub my back.

"It'll be fine. You have Sapphire, you have your Pokémon, and you have me...and I'll never leave you when you need me." Wally reassured me, with a smile as soft and warm as ever.

"...Thank you." I told him simply, there was too much warm fluttering in my chest to articulate much else without embarrassing myself. I gratefully kissed him on the lips, and I knew my face was red.

"Do you want to get up now, or do you need a minute?" Wally asked considerately.

"Ten minutes..." I muttered. Wally nodded and continued to quietly rub my back. But sadly, ten minutes passes really fast when there's something you don't want to be doing, and before I knew it I had to get up.

"Ruby, I know you're scared, but if we don't get up, nothing is ever gonna change." Wally said.

"I don't want it to change though...I..I was really happy before all of this bullshit happened. I was able to meet you, and my Pokémon, and do whatever I wanted, and there was nothing to worry about..." I paused for a moment, sighing deeply. "And I know it's really selfish and horrible, and that only makes me feel worse that I'm such a fucking-" I was cut off by Wally putting his finger to my lips and then kissing me again.

"Wonderful person." Wally finished. "That's no way to talk, Ruby…It's natural to feel that way, and even though you don't want to feel it, it definitely won't help if you're ashamed of yourself just for happening to have emotions." Wally said reassuringly, as his loose grip on me became a tight hug. I smiled slightly and nodded, grateful that Wally could be so sweet and comforting despite my whining. "So get in the fucking robot, Shinji." Wally said in a playfully demanding tone. I managed to crack a grin in spite of myself.

"I mustn't run away." I said as I began to sit up, causing Wally to giggle.

"Hey, Ruby." Wally asked with a grin.

"Yeah?" I answered.

"What time is it?" Wally asked, with such a wide smile and familiar tone that I knew he wasn't literally asking the question.

"Adventure Time.." I answered with a small smile, as I finally got out of bed.

After waking everyone up and returning all of them to their Pokéballs, washing up, and getting dressed, (We did not do the last two things at the same time you perverts) we went to Sapphire's room to wake her up. It went about as well as a short walk down the hallway can go, until we realized that Sapphire's door was open and she wasn't even in her room. Without saying anything, Wally was already rushing to the Pokémon Center's front desk. I quickly followed, but Wally was already speaking to a Nurse Joy.

"Uh, did you see a tall girl with a green bandanna leave recently? It's pretty important..." Wally asked quickly, in an urgent tone.

"Oh, of course, I remember you and your friend from the other day! Your friend left over an hour ago...she looked kind of upset." Nurse Joy answered, frowning slightly.

"Thanks a lot!" Wally called, as he darted out of the front door. I hastily followed, impressed with his speed.

"Wally, calm down! She's probably just taking a walk!" I called as I caught up with him, causing him to stop in his tracks.

"But..." Wally started, fidgeting in place. "She's probably in a bad mood right now. We need to go help her!" He said impatiently.

"I'll just call her for now, or else we won't even know where she is." I answered calmly, taking out my Pokénav.

"Oh...well...yeah." Wally agreed sheepishly. I called Sapphire, and she picked up after a few rings, although even that short wait became an anxious, tedious affair under Wally's impatient gaze.

"Hey." she finally said in a somewhat impatient 'I don't want to be bothered' tone, and I put the call on speaker to allow Wally to hear.

"Hi…" I answered. "Wher-" she immediately interrupted.

"I'm on the bridge in Route 114. What do you even want?" she asked snappily.

"Wally is really worried about you. We just want to make sure you're okay." I told her calmly, knowing it'd do no good to become annoyed with her attitude.

"Oh yeah, I'm fucking fine guys. Wow. It's not like I've almost died recently or anything!" she shouted.

"Sapphire, please, calm down and just-" Once again, she had no patience for my words.

"Me calm down? Me?! Goddamn, why doesn't the whole fucking world just calm down instead?!"

"Sapphire, we-" You know how it goes by now.

"You know what, fuck you Ruby!" Sapphire shouted. I had heard it many times before, but this time she seemed so serious I flinched anyways. "Fuck you for moving to Littleroot! I shouldn't ever have even talked to you! All you've ever done is gotten me in trouble and made me feel like shit!" Sapphire screamed. Normally, I wouldn't have minded such an outburst much, since Sapphire was just being her usual self when angered. But somehow, those few sentences really got to me. Probably because I was already feeling like shit over everything that was going on, and feeling sorry for myself even though Wally specifically said I shouldn't and I knew I shouldn't, which in turn made me feel sorry for myself for being unable to not pity myself, and… To make a long story short, emotional control is nowhere near as simple or easy as people try to make it seem. At that moment, everything really did feel like my fault. It was always me who was too afraid. I was always the one who underestimated the feelings of others. I was fragile and yielding, and I always made excuses for myself.

I turned to Wally slowly, and for a moment no one said anything. I just looked into his eyes, attempting to find more comfort and reassurance, but I wasn't able to draw it out. It momentarily occurred to me that the record needed to be set straight, and that I needed to stick with Sapphire's temper and work something reasonable out, but I just didn't feel I had it in me to expend more patience and energy on her.

"I'm sorry…" I finally mumbled in a defeated tone, and then hung up.

"Ruby…" Wally started slowly, as he walked towards me. My lips were quivering. "Ruby, no, it's…it's okay, she didn't mean to…don't look like that…Come on…" Wally said, looking at me with a forced smile as he reached his arm out with uncertainty. I took a deep breath, somewhat managing to delay the arrival of tears.

"It…it _was_ me though." I started, my voice trembling. "She wasn't in serious danger until she came with us…I was the one who got involved with all of this first, a-and I dragged both of you into it…it's my fault."

"No, you didn't drag anyone into this. We agreed to come with you, and you couldn't have possibly known any of this."

"That doesn't matter!" I shouted, as a few tears worked their way free. I could feel the sobs in my throat, like a loaded spring, and I felt my face begin to contort. "W-what matters is…that w-we're not..you're not…s-safe! T-things keep happening, a-and I'm not enough…to p-protect e-either one of you!" I cried, quite literally. I was shuddering in place and hardly as coherent as those sentences seem, it was the kind of talking where you're struggling and straining your voice through the tears. Wally tightly wrapped his arms around me, leaning his head against my shoulder. He didn't say anything, he was just there, rubbing my back and hugging me like he was never going to let go again. Although I kept crying for a few more moments, eventually the feeling became more comforting than anything he could've actually said would've been. It conveyed a sort of powerful, instinctive knowledge that he was completely there for me, and strong implications that he was going to do everything he could to continue being there for me.

"Better?" Wally asked softly, when I had finally become quiet.

"Yeah. Thanks a lot. I really mean that…" I answered weakly, with a sniffle. Wally gave me some tissue from his backpack, and as he wiped his eyes I realized he had cried with me.

"No problem…Let's go find Sapphire now, okay?" Wally said gently, as he grabbed my hand and we started to walk towards Route 114.

After only a few minutes, we were completely taken by surprise when we ran into Sapphire much earlier than expected. Almost literally, in fact. She was on her bike, riding towards us so quickly she barely had time to stop. "Oh, uh, hey guys…" she greeted, in a mixture of breathlessness and quiet reluctance.

"Hi, Nee-san…"Wally greeted back, cordial but awkward and unsure.

Sapphire closely studied our faces for a moment, then flinched slightly and frowned. "Were you, uh…" She didn't even finish, she just looked at me for a little while longer, then looked down in embarrassment.

"Yeah…" Wally replied, seeming to be hardly able to look directly at Sapphire.

"It..it was because of what I said, wasn't it?" Sapphire asked hesitantly, looking up at us for just a moment. I remained silent, Wally opened his mouth and then closed it. After what seemed like forever, she went on. "I… I didn't mean that. Please believe me… I know I'm loud, and grumpy, and obnoxious, and the stupidest person I know, but I really didn't…Look." Sapphire sighed deeply, then continued, although she was still looking towards the ground.

"I was just angry and confused…I know it's not your fault, Ruby. I really do. I was the one who forced my way in even though you didn't want me. I've always been the one who gets on your nerves and doesn't give you enough respect. It's just that…I don't really know how else to do it. No one else really has any sort of good bond with me. Everyone just says I'm 'Birch's hot daughter', girls get jealous and we always start drama, and boys who I don't even like hit on me, and it becomes hard to even trust people…" She looked down towards the ground and watched the toe of her shoe rub against the dirt. "So sometimes, it's just easier to be rude and impulsive, and act like I'm so tough and untouchable…Because if I pretend, I can sorta believe." She seemed so fragile and withdrawn as she said the last part, her head bowed, one arm holding the other behind her back, her foot scribbling in the dirt, her eyes mostly hidden.

"I forgive you, Sapphire…" I told her. "I understand. All this time, I just thought you were a nuisance because I didn't know that someone like you could have so much they're worried about… But it's okay now…right?" I said, as I shyly extended my hand towards her.

"Right." Sapphire replied, then reached out and firmly, deliberately shook my hand. With that handshake, I felt I had made a very important step forward.


	17. It Just Gets Worse

**Ch 17: It Just Gets Worse**

* * *

With everyone's inner turmoil quelled for the time being, we decided there was no better time to break the latest bit of bad news to Sapphire. Carefully and hesitantly, we told her what we had learned from Professor Cozmo, and what we planned to do next. At first she didn't fully understand, and for a while she alternated between anger and confusion, but by time the story was over she seemed to accept what we had to do.

"Is there anything there isn't some sort of fucking catch to?" She said jokingly, but the forced smile and stilted delivery could hardly be considered convincing.

We got on our bikes, planning to go through Meteor Falls as a faster way to Petalburg. But when we were almost through Route 114, we were distracted by a sudden burst of sparking electricity coming from the tall grass. It looked oddly familiar.

"Is that..." Wally started, but his question was answered soon enough as the familiar yellow Bug-type made his way over to us.

"Lexis? What are you doing here?" Sapphire asked.

"I was much too rash regarding my earlier actions. I was angry about a variety of issues and circumstances that didn't actually concern you, and you did not deserve such an outburst. I am terribly sorry." Lexis wrote. "Furthermore, I am here because I have been staying with Lanette, who lives very close by. Her knowledge and attitude is highly enlightening and engaging, and it has inspired me to find you once again."

"I really do wish you would've told us it bothered you so much though..." Sapphire said in a somewhat exasperated tone.

"I...do not enjoy broaching the subject in the least, actually...it's really a matter of...I can't really explain. You probably would not take me seriously..." He suddenly crossed the last sentence out, and added "I'm sorry, I just can't help but automatically begin to think that way when the subject comes up... Nor can I help but become very irritable and insecure... I sincerely cannot. Once again, you are not going to believe that, at least not at this particular time, but hopefully a time comes when you understand...Until then, it would be excellent of you to abandon the subject."Lexis wrote, as he made a somewhat apologetic trilling sound.

"Whatever, everything else is weird, why not have a weird explanation for this too?" I quipped impatiently. "Let's just get on with this." I muttered in a regretful tone.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm. Wow. _Top notch_, my good man." Lexis wrote, the sarcasm obvious.

"The past few days have been very stressful. If you are coming back, I could do without your pretentious bullshit." I grumbled.

"Ruby, that's kinda mean..." Wally said with a small frown.

"He has a point. We are not going to get anywhere if we continue to have petty disputes." Lexis wrote. Lexis climbed into one of Wally's pockets, and we resumed our journey together.

There was no big rush. We stopped often to train, rest, or eat, and getting from Fallarbor to Petalburg actually takes much longer than you'd think it does. (And we all know why you'd think that way, so I'm not even gonna go there._)_ Petalburg Forest is actually a pretty big place, with other smaller surrounding clusters of forest and field on top of it, since logging and land development is heavily restricted and regulated. (Luckily, Soldier seemed to remember how to get around, because I definitely didn't.) There are actually a good deal of villages and suburbs around and between Rustboro and Petalburg because of the coastline, but none that are actually considered important on a Pokémon journey. But since I'm not a certain cartoon character with a Pikachu, and I don't have the social finesse to interact more than necessary, I don't stop to help random people and fill up hours of my time with triviality.

Nonetheless, a journey through the area that even somewhat focuses on training and sightseeing is slow going, compared to the largely pointless and quickly passed wilderness/farming expanse between Mauville, Lavaridge, and Fallarbor, so we took nearly a month. Professor Cozmo called three or four times, and he didn't seem bothered by our pace. As he explained it, Team Aqua and Magma are very covert, steady, and deliberate at their core. Their publicity stunts are just to get people's attention, and downplay the more serious aspects of their team. It's best to just act like you're a normal traveler most of the time, so you don't seem too suspicious to them.

Still, the journey was important in itself. We generally all became somewhat closer, with some notable specifics. Talla, Spinda (still no name even with Lexis back, Spinda never talks at all), and Lexis seemed to get along very well. Spinda would supervise Talla's sculpting, while Lexis just seemed content with being able to observe such "cultured" interests among Pokémon. Swablu (Nim) was increasingly kind and clingy when it came to Wally or Mint (but especially Wally, because Mint makes it abundantly clear when she wants to be left alone), while treating everyone else with a sort of general respect.

Skitty (Belle) was still largely antisocial and irritable, but in battle she was surprisingly skilled. She knew Ice Beam, Protect, and Dig on top of moves that should normally be learned, and she was remarkably swift and agile. Still, she hardly ever listened to Wally, and she usually did what she wanted in battle. And she had a rather annoying habit of refusing to stay in her Pokéball at night, so she could go outside to hunt. Then, an hour or two later, she'd always be back with disheveled fur. She'd clean herself up, look up at the moon, and then begin to sing. It was a rather quiet, purring, growling sort of sound indoors, but outdoors it was loud, incessant, and almost desperate sounding, and it often made sleeping difficult.

Nim often tried to get next to her and join in, since he liked to sing too, but Belle would always hiss and bat him away. Strangely enough, Soldier was always allowed to sit quietly next to her and sway his tail to the music, while June sat on the other side and just listened. Belle hardly ever interacted with Soldier otherwise, but she seemed to have an odd sort of parental affection for June. She would persistently attempt to teach him how to fight and hunt, much to Sapphire's chagrin. It often produced rather hilarious reactions. (June! No! Don't you dare touch that Tailow! Dear Arceus, it's still alive! Ruby, stop standing there and get me a damn potion or something!)

Still, we never did manage to stop her behavior, because it soon became apparent there was more to it than weird feline habits. First, it started with a cluster of berries and flowers that Belle brought with her one night. At first, I thought she was getting Soldier some food, but when he came he didn't take a single bite. It just sat in front of them, perpetually untouched. Then, Wally and I convinced Mint to try getting her to stop or move further away. Mint just came back a few minutes later, very quiet and steadily radiating a subdued sense of shame. It wasn't until Wally and I went out together (Wally didn't have the heart to do it alone) to try and make her stop.

When we were only several feet away, a rather thick and concentrated fog suddenly began to hover around Belle, Soldier, and June. It was glowing the same color as the faint moonlight. We froze in our tracks, and Wally tightly gripped my hand. Three small, pale, wispy Shroomish were merrily floating in circles around Soldier, their outlines almost lost against the background of the fog. Next to Belle, we saw a man's pale, but surprisingly clear face, framed by fog. He suddenly turned and looked right at us. His eye sockets were hollow, and he appeared to be missing some teeth as he smiled sadly at us. Then he vanished, leaving only rapidly dissipating mist. The Shroomish seemed to be startled by this, and they disappeared as well.

Wally let out a yelp of surprise and my eyes went wide at the sight as we both quickly backed away. Belle stopped singing and looked up at us with an intense glare (as much as you can glare with eternally squinted eyes), almost looking like she wanted to lash out at us. But no sooner than she had raised her tail to strike, she lowered it again. Her expression softened and she looked down towards the ground, then back up at us, and simply meowed impatiently. It was as if she were saying "Are you satisfied?". June just looked up at us curiously, and Soldier didn't even seem to acknowledge us. Instead, Soldier was making an odd, high pitched, squeaky sort of wheezing sound, and when I leaned forward to see what the problem was, I just as quickly recoiled in surprise. It was yet another thing I thought I'd never see. Tears were dripping to the ground, and his body was shuddering ever so slightly.

After that night, so unexpectedly sad and surreal despite its bright stars and crescent moon, Wally and I never bothered Belle during her singing again. Sapphire listened to our story at one point, but she only seemed to halfway believe us.

* * *

Other than that, things were generally peaceful. Wally and I were still very happy together, and Sapphire was much easier to get along with. It was a little awkward at first, since we hardly knew how to interact naturally without expecting something rude or condescending to be said, but eventually it became somewhat easier.

Before we knew it, we had reached Petalburg. It was exactly how I remembered it, quaint and rather quiet, yet it felt more imposing than ever.

"Well, this is it." Sapphire said, as she started to walk in the direction of the gym. "Come on."

"I am, just hold on." I answered, reluctantly following her.

"Don't be scared, Ru-kun. I'll introduce you to my parents when we're done. I'm sure they'll be happy about this... They're really nice people, which you might remember from when you met them almost 5 months ago." Wally said happily, even though it only made me more nervous. He kissed me on the cheek and grabbed my hand, attempting to be more comforting.

"Wow, that's a weight off of my shoulders." I replied sarcastically, as I continued to trudge towards the gym.

"I guess I saw that coming." Wally said with an air of defeat, clearly detecting the sarcasm.

We arrived at the gym in what seemed like an unusually short time, even though I should've been mentally prepared by then. Dad was in the back, and I managed to get past the trainers by telling them I personally had something to talk about with him. Dad barely acted surprised, he just greeted me with a firm hug and a thin smile.

"What brings you here, son? Do you already have 4 badges? My, how time flies..." He said. "Oh, Sapphire! And...Wally, right? You're all traveling together now? Huh. I didn't come down to Littleroot all that often, but I could've sworn you hated Sapphire, Ruby."

"We got over it, I guess..." I said.

"That's wonderful! I'm glad you've made friends! Pretty soon, you'll have a special someone in mind...I can only imagine what that'd be like!" Dad said, as he began to laugh heartily.

"Well, actually Dad...uh..." I started, in a way that made it clear what I was trying to say.

"Oh! You _do. _You sly dog! Where do they live? What are they like? Do they know?" Dad said, eagerly coming closer as he bombarded me with questions.

"Uh..." I started, timidly shifting my eyes to look at Wally.

"Well, uh, N-Norman sir...I'm right here..." Wally mumbled quietly. But for all the good that did, he may as well have shouted.

"Really?!" Norman cried, as he quickly grabbed my shoulders and looked me directly in the eyes. He looked at me with an intense, piercing sort of ferocity that made my blood run cold. I shuddered in his grip, while Wally and Sapphire looked on with fear and uncertainty. Then, he suddenly cracked a wide grin. "Gotcha!" he cried, slapping me on the back and laughing loudly. "Oh, you should've seen your face..." He then looked at Wally and Sapphire, and promptly cleared his throat and stood up straight. "Fathers can't help but be embarrassing even when they're Gym Leaders...But seriously Ruby, congratulations! I always did worry about you a little, but look what you've gone and done! And you too, Wally! Make each other happy!"

"I…that's really how you feel?" I said, feeling oddly quite happy and relieved while Wally blushed and stayed silent. Whenever I put a great deal of thought into how my parents would react, I always assumed it was just a bridge I would cross when I came to it. And it really didn't even have to do with Wally being a guy. If you've been paying attention, you may have guessed that. I know it'd probably be more comforting and relatable in some ways if this were a world where people have hardships with that sort of thing, but that sort of thing hardly ever happens. The worst that usually happens is that someone's crush just isn't gay/bi. (I'll say it's because of progressive reforms and a lack of any highly regarded opposition to homosexuality throughout our history all day, but the reality is that you just blame the /real/ author for being beyond tired of heteronormative bullshit. So yeah.)

"Of course, son. I've always regretted this position, in some ways...I was able to make things better for you...I was able to fix some things...But there was definitely a price." The way my father said that really bothered me for some reason.

"Price?" I repeated uncertainly, feeling there was even more to that than the typical 'I wanted to build a better bond' thing.

"Well, yes...And that price is the reason I am entirely sure you aren't here for a badge at all." My father said. The shock left me slack-jawed.

"How did you..." I started.

"Professor Cozmo and Lanette have contacted me. They didn't tell you, since they didn't want to make you more nervous, but they told me all about the conversations you had...Dear Arceus, you really are growing up, aren't you Ruby?" Dad said, looking at me remorsefully.

"Dad..." I started.

"I'm going to be honest with you, son. I knew this conversation would come one day. You're such a smart kid, I wouldn't let you be fooled forever...Not like how I was." He then looked at Wally and Sapphire. "You two can just stand off to the side. No offense, but don't comment on any of this. This talk will be between father and son only." Wally just nodded, and Sapphire actually looked a little bit offended anyways, but they both complied.

"Wh-what are you saying, Dad?"

"Haven't you always wanted to know the reason I'm a gym leader, Ruby? Didn't you always drive yourself mad wondering why I would pursue it so selfishly?" he said gently, with a wry smile.

"Y-yeah..."

"I did it to save him...I had to..." he started somberly, looking down at the ground.

"What do you mean, 'save him'?" I asked with a completely lost expression.

"Well, just look at Wally...Don't you remember how his health used to be?" Dad asked.

"Yeah...But who's 'him'?" I questioned in an entirely confused tone. I didn't like where this was going at all.

"It was the same illness he had...but...but not everyone handles it so well...especially as young children." Dad said quietly, stumbling over words and entirely ignoring my question.

"Dad, please, just be honest...This is getting really weird." I said in a very concerned tone.

"Brendan Tuesday..." Dad muttered. Wally and Sapphire became noticeably more interested.

"Who?" I asked somewhat apprehensively, the name was disturbingly familiar for some reason.

"I...he's your...uh...big brother." Dad said hesitantly, as if there was something he wasn't telling me.

"But I don't have-" I started immediately.

"Ruby! I will explain!" Dad said sternly, as he gave me an intense glare. I immediately became quiet. "...Now. Brendan was killed by severe illness at the age of four. Your mother and I had been trying to save up for experimental treatments that could save him, but we hardly had enough money, and it was so much more severe than Wally's case. We sold almost everything, but it just wasn't enough...Brendan went comatose, and then he passed away." Dad took a deep breath, and then kept going.

"We hardly knew what to do, we were beyond heartbroken... But at the time, I had a job with Silph. Nothing special, just a Pokéball manufacturer...Still, the boss called me up to his office one day, and said that they were accepting volunteers for a Gym Leader training program. I refused at first...Simply training to become a Gym Leader isn't good pay at all, as I'm sure you're painfully aware of." Dad smiled sadly at that for a moment, then continued.

"But then he told me they could bring Brendan back. He told me about the research on Ditto, the booming research of Pokémon regeneration, the multitude of advances in cloning and manipulation of living cells and tissues... I turned him down at first, appalled that he'd suggest such awful things to me...But day after day, he kept talking...he kept sending email and calling me to his office. He even told me things entirely unknown to the public... and eventually I accepted. Not only did I accept, I sincerely believed." Dad took a deep breath and cracked his fingers.

"So, here's the most important thing, Ruby." He took another deep breath. "Brendan was cloned; his body was entirely regrown in a tube. Then he was artificially grown back up to be physically four years old, given physical therapy, and implanted with information, opinions, memories, and conditioned to the best of our abilities...But he was still different. He didn't act quite the same, and we still weren't really comfortable with the fact that we had attempted to bring him back... So, we didn't call him Brendan anymore..." Dad paused for a moment, cleared his throat, and then reluctantly began to speak again. "We started calling him Ruby." My eyes widened in horror. Sapphire gawked, and Wally gasped and covered his mouth.

"Dad...Are you saying that...I'm not...I'm just...I'm only-" I could hardly think straight, and my voice was trembling.

"Don't misunderstand." Dad began desperately. "We love you just as much as we loved him, Ruby. Please, please believe me...I just wanted-" A repetitive beeping sound suddenly started, and it appeared to be coming from my dad. To say his expression was conflicted when it started is an understatement.

"D-dad...What is that noise?!" I asked.

"I've said too much." He said simply, frowning hard. "_Shit._"

"W-what does that mean?" Sapphire asked frantically.

Dad quickly rolled up one of the legs of his pants, revealing a thin, high tech looking cybernetic band around his knee, which seemed to be the direct source of the beeping. "It's controlled by both voice and intent...It's great for automating certain things around the gym...Even better for making sure a Gym Leader doesn't say anything." Dad explained bitterly.

"Dad, what do you me-" He interrupted.

"One of its functions is to be an explosive." Dad said bluntly. I was immediately overcome with the most horrific sense of dread, and I began to shake with the pure, awful, unsettling shock of it all.

"Don't joke like that, Dad! Come on! You're joking, right? Just like when you learned about Wally! You're joking, and it isn't funny!" I shouted, entirely in denial.

"No...This is what I get." Dad started calmly. "There was only one reason I became a Gym Leader. I wanted my son to live. And damnit Ruby, you are my son, and you are still alive. So...don't worry about me! Just find the answers you need! I'm not going to be able to tell you...anything else..." The beeping became faster and louder, and his voice began to break apart as tears streamed down his face. "Wally! That Ralts you caught! Send it out and use Teleport! Get everyone out! That's an order!"

"Y-yes sir!" Wally squeaked, almost crying himself. Ralts came out and immediately started to prepare the teleportation.

"And Ruby!" Dad shouted "Move forward! Make this a world where things like this never happen again! Let nothing hold you back! E-even when I'm gone... j-just know that I always loved you!" The beeping became long, loud, and piercing as the air shimmered heavily and everything went blurry. I got a dizzying headache as everything became white, then went back to a gradually improving blur, and I collapsed to the ground. As soon as it became clear enough to see, there was a loud blast from behind me. I quickly rolled towards the sound. Only several dozen yards ahead, Gym Trainers, employees, and Pokémon ran frantically out of Petalburg Gym's front door. There was smoke and debris rising from the back. Nearby people came out of houses and stores or simply stopped walking to see what had happened. Wally, Sapphire and I steadily picked ourselves up, and blankly looked at the Gym, almost numb from the overwhelming shock of the situation. People were starting to gather, talk, and pull out cell phones and PokéNavs, but as the enormity of the situation set in, I hardly cared anymore. I wrapped my arms around Wally without even thinking much about it, and I was literally crying before I knew it. The only thing I registered at the moment was that my dad was gone, and that hugging Wally might somehow make me feel better. I don't even know how he, Sapphire, or anyone else reacted.

* * *

**Shit just got real.**


	18. Starting the Run

**Ch 18: Starting the Run**

It must've been quite some time before I even registered what was happening at all. I had started out hugging Wally like my life depended on it, crying almost without even realizing it. But the next thing I knew, I was sitting on a small brown couch, with Wally at my side, hugging me quietly.

"...Where are we?" I muttered quietly.

"This is my parents' house, Ruby...We'll be okay here." Wally said quietly. I heard someone shifting on the other end of the couch. I looked over, and there was Sapphire. She briefly looked at me, opened her mouth, closed it, and then looked away with a discouraged expression. There was a remorseful looking woman with long, wavy, light green hair sitting across from us, and a stern-faced, brown-haired man next to her.

"Oh. They're your parents." I stated in monotone. Wally frowned for a moment, then gave a pained smile and spoke.

"Yes, Ruby, that's my mom and dad. Say hello..." Wally said it with an odd, hesitant, gentle tone, as if he were treading thin ice.

"Hello. Sorry for intruding." I said blankly. Both of them gave half-convincing smiles.

"It's no trouble at all, sweetie. Make yourself at home." Wally's mom said.

"I'm terribly sorry for your loss, Ruby. Please, don't hesitate to ask for anything you need." his dad said.

"What loss?" I responded flatly. Everyone looked at me with highly troubled expressions.

"Uh-uhm..." Wally stammered. I looked at the TV in the room, feeling a little confused.

"Why isn't the TV on? There was a strange explosion at the gym. Dad won't like that at all." I explained.

"R-ruby..." Wally said, hugging me tighter. "Ruby, it's okay..." Everyone else was staring at me with the same troubled expressions, and I grew more confused.

"Of course it's okay. They can fix it. Dad can visit while they do. He'd get along well with parents as nice as yours, Wally." I said in an almost trance like state.

"Ruby!" Wally shouted, looking straight into my eyes. I looked at him, not comprehending at all.

"What's the matter, Wally? It's just an explosion. No one got hurt. Dad was in the crowd." There was no emotion in my voice at all. Wally's father hugged his mother, and Sapphire buried her face into her hands.

"H-he's..he's _gone_, Ruby...Your Dad is..is _dead. _You know it, Ruby! S-stop it! You're scaring me!" Wally's gaze became more desperate and intense as he shouted those words at me.

"Really? But my Dad is fine." I said.

"No, Ruby! You saw it! You saw what happened! You were there! Your dad said he loved you, then Mint teleported you away, then..." Wally's voice was dripping with desperation now, and suddenly it started to come back to me. But by no means was it a peaceful acceptance.

"Wally, you're not funny anymore, all right? Stop it! Everyone, stop it! Stop looking at me! Stop acting like I'm stupid! He's fine, he's a Gym Leader! He can beat anyone if he has to!" I shouted, as I freed myself from Wally's grip and stood up angrily.

"Damn it Ruby, we aren't joking! He's dead! You have to accept it! Get your head out of the clouds!" Sapphire screamed.

"You're always mean to me, Sapphire! I wouldn't be surprised if you were just trying to trick me! You've just wanted to see me fail all along, haven't you?" I shouted, then paused and looked around at everyone's faces, all just as uneasy as ever. "Why?! Why is this happening? Is this really happening?" I moaned, as I slumped back on the couch and hid my face in my hands. "Get away from me! Don't look at me!" I cried. I heard sighs, mumbles, and then footsteps, only to be answered by a familiar voice.

"No…" Wally said softly, holding me tighter than ever.

"J-just leave me alone! Leave me alone before I do something stupid!" I said in a muffled, unsteady voice, on the verge of tears.

"I can't do that, Ruby… Anything but that." Wally said softly, as he rubbed my back.

"Wally, please. Listen to him." Wally's mother called in a firm voice, but Wally ignored her.

"Wouldn't it be easier to listen to him if I stay next to him, Mom?" Wally called back.

"You can only listen if he wants to talk in the first place!" his mother called back.

Wally was silent for a moment, but in a calm voice, he finally responded. "People are more than words, Mom…" His mother was quiet from then on.

"Ruby, do you want to go up to my room?" Wally asked quietly. I gave a small nod. "Should Sapphire come?" I was entirely still for a moment, then I shook my head. "Okay…" Wally said, grabbing my hand softly as he got up. With a simple tug, I was wordlessly following him. In just another moment, we were upstairs.

The bed had only a sheet, there was sparse furniture, and the walls were plain, but the extra privacy alone was more comforting than having a mental breakdown in front of your boyfriend's parents. We sat down on the bed, and Wally began to speak again.

"Ruby..it's okay… Well, actually, no it isn't…" Wally said quietly. "I'm sorry, Ruby, but it really isn't." Wally's voice choked up for a moment, but he cleared his throat and continued. "But I guess the good thing is that, uh, I'm here to try and make it okay… Even if it'll never be 100% okay…I'm gonna try and make it as okay as possible." Wally said, as he firmly held me in his arms. I didn't respond at all.

"I-is it that you're thinking it's your fault again, Ruby?" Wally asked gently, causing me to tense up a bit. "Don't do that, Ruby…If you take all the blame for things, you'll just hurt yourself more..." Wally said softly, as he stroked my back. "But at the same time…m-maybe I'm wrong…All of your feelings are important. I bet you think they're useless and stupid, but you can't do that…'cause then you'll make them hide, and you'll make them lie…and when they hide and lie, you won't be Ruby anymore…or at least not the same Ruby…" Wally was quiet for a moment, simply holding onto me, then he suddenly spoke up again. "Well, maybe there are things we have to learn to deal with and get rid of…but…I don't even know what I'm trying to actually get at anymore…I'm sorry for not being that good at this" Wally said quietly.

"I'm grateful." I managed to say. "It's nice how you smile while the world is crumbling."

"The world is always crumbling…somehow, somewhere, for someone." Wally said, frowning slightly. "But…that's just another reason to smile. Because then maybe you just might be the one to pick up the pieces…"

"What if you can't smile?" I murmured.

"Then…someone who can will try to help you." Wally responded sweetly, followed by a kiss on my cheek.

"I'm sorry that you have to help me then…" I muttered. In response, Wally just scooted away a bit, then tugged my shirt and patted his lap.

"Just relax…" He said softly, as I hesitantly put my head in his lap. "I'd help you even if it killed me." He said happily, but in response I simply tensed up.

"D-don't talk like that…" I murmured fearfully.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry…" Wally said. After a moment or two, he steadily removed my hat and began to stroke my hair. I nearly objected, but then I realized it was far from unwanted. "Uh, am I helping, or…"

"Don't talk." I said softly, wanting nothing more than to bask in the comfort.

"You're like a cat." Wally whispered, giggling to himself.

But just then, the door opened wide, and Sapphire bounded in.

"I'm gonna catch a lot of crap for interrupting, but you guys really need to come downstairs!" She said in an urgent tone.

"Why?" I answered in a whiny tone.

"It's the news! About your dad! Come on!" Sapphire shouted. Reluctantly, (especially on my part) Wally and I got up and followed her. Before I was even completely downstairs, I could already hear the TV.

"Once again, it is thought that Team Aqua and/or Magma are responsible for the explosion at Petalburg Gym, and the resulting death of the Gym Leader, Norman Tuesday." The male reporter's booming voice seemed to fill my ears as I heard that sentence. How could they possibly get away with such a ridiculous lie? I ran to the TV, literally unable to believe what I was hearing. "His son, sixteen-year-old Ruby Tuesday, entered the Gym only moments before the tragic incident, possibly to warn his father. However, he wasn't quick enough. The bomb, covertly planted at some earlier time, went off. Ruby was physically unharmed, but the town's beloved Gym Leader paid the ultimate price." My jaw was practically on the floor. I knew things got covered up a lot, but to actually experience such a blatantly obvious lie was something completely different.

I was about to try and say something, but once again my eyes were becoming clouded with tears, and at the same time, I suddenly got an odd headache as the newscaster began to speak in a strange, powerful, droning voice that seemed to fill and penetrate my entire mind. I had to mentally remind myself of what really happened to avoid obeying it. "**TO ALL CITIZENS OF AND VISITORS TO HOENN: PLEASE HEAD TO YOUR NEAREST GYM OR CENTER OF AUTHORITY TO PAY YOUR RESPECTS IMMEDIATELY. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY.**" The headache and the strange feelings were quickly over, but Wally's parents were suddenly putting on their shoes and shuffling blankly towards the door.

"Mom, Dad, no! They're lying! Don't go!" Wally cried, as he quickly maneuvered to block the doorway.

"But son…they said to…pay respects…and…" Wally's dad clutched his head and blinked rapidly. As clearly as if we were outside, a blaring loudspeaker suddenly seemed to be yelling directly into my head. "**ALL CITIZENS OF PETALBURG CITY AND ALL VISITORS, TO PETALBURG GYM IMMEDIATELY. EMERGENCY."**

Wally's father faltered, and Wally's mother attempted to get around Wally, blankly and nonchalantly attempting to push him out of the way as if he were simply a chair or a shelf. Wally reminded them once again, desperation becoming apparent in his voice. "No! Stop! Please! You have to believe me, it's a lie! Don't do it! Don't do it!"

"Don't be silly…dear…It's only the polite thing to…" Wally's mom began, before Wally's dad suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her.

"Don't! It really is a lie! Our own son came in here and told us what really happened! I don't know what happens if you go, but don't!" he shouted. That seemed to snap her out of it, but then my PokéNav began to ring. When I saw it was Professor Cozmo, I quickly answered.

"Ruby! You heard the announcements, right? The weird, headachey ones?!" Cozmo asked frantically.

"Y-yeah…" I responded, not liking how over excited he seemed.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't know, Ruby! Lanette didn't know either! We didn't know Norman would do that kind of thing to himself!" Cozmo cried, basically screaming at this point. Everyone was looking towards me curiously.

"Calm down…" I meekly commanded, since I was already struggling just to keep myself calm. Of course, the request was almost entirely disregarded, as he began to speak again before I even finished.

"No, Ruby, this is important! This kind of thing is how they control people! Put me on speaker!" Cozmo yelled.

"Control…" I repeated quietly and disbelievingly, as I put Cozmo on speaker.

"They gather everyone up, or use something that everyone will hear, and then use telepathic signals to alter their memory and discourage them from talking about it. It's like how they got rid of my achievements…Just a few quick lines on the evening news, and…poof. Not a soul seems to have heard of me." Cozmo said, his tone still excited but with a somewhat bitter, wistful edge now.

"W-what do we do?" I asked timidly.

"Just get out of there. Wherever you are, leave. Gather as much as you can and leave. According to Lanette, not even trainers on the road are safe from something this huge. Voicemail and emergency alerts will be arriving to their PokéNavs. For now, it'll be no use to try and tell any average person about this. Just leave! Hurry! They're probably looking for you already!" Cozmo instructed.

"Okay..." I said quietly, as I hung up.

"Arceus, why…" Wally's mother said quietly.

"Sounds like you've got quite an adventure ahead of you…" Wally's dad said. He sighed deeply, then went over to Wally and hugged him as tight as he could. "Son, you're honestly scaring the hell out of me right now, but at the same time, I've never been so proud…" Wally's eyes widened as he said the word 'proud'. "Be safe, son. Your mother and I love you more than anything." Wally's father said, his voice choking up slightly. "Whatever it is you have to do, I know it must be dangerous…but… You've really grown, huh? I'm sure you'll do great…" Wally's dad now had a few tears running down his face.

"Here. A present for you, Ruby…We got it after we heard you were taking Wally with you on your journey. I'm sorry there isn't much more we can do for you…" Wally's mom said, as she handed me a blue disc, labeled Surf.

"Thank you so much, ma'am…" I said, as I took the HM and put it away.

"Keep my baby safe, you two!" Wally's mom said sharply, looking at both Sapphire and me.

"We will, ma'am!" Sapphire said with confidence. Once we had all said our goodbyes, we were on the road once again. Like Cozmo had suggested, we bought as many supplies as we could and then left quickly, knowing we couldn't go near civilization anywhere near as often anymore. Lexis suggested we go to Fortree next, since it was less populated area we hadn't been to yet. With no real better ideas, we listened to him

Things were tense and loaded with paranoia for the first few days. Soon after leaving Wally's house, my mother called, and at almost the same time Professor Birch called Sapphire, but those calls didn't go quite as expected. My mother did indeed sound a bit sad and somewhat defeated, but she actually had sound advice. She emphasized not going to visit her, and told me not to worry about her. Apparently, my dad had already been over what he planned to do. She calmly told me to stay safe and advised me to turn off my PokéNav services and only use offline maps. Overall, it was a very odd and brief call, and I was surprised she was being so composed and helpful.

On the other hand, Professor Birch was far removed from his usual, jolly, confident self. He sounded terrified and furious, repeatedly asking for Sapphire to come home. Sapphire tried to argue with him and tell him why she needed to be with us, but he was almost impossibly inflexible, and oddly erratic. In the end, Sapphire just hung up and turned off all her PokéNav's internet services as well.

Despite the odds, we gradually adapted, and found we had to support one another if we wanted to keep going. I was especially worried about Wally. He always seemed to be the most fragile and innocent, yet he seemed to have the de facto responsibility of emotionally supporting Sapphire and me whenever the comfort of our Pokémon wasn't enough. Sapphire was obviously better off than I was, but she seemed quite distressed about her father's attitude, and events in general.

Meanwhile, I was getting better, and I managed to act normal and agreeable sometimes. But just as often, I was tired, irritable, and unwilling to do much of anything. I'd hear things and have nightmares, even if I just took short naps in the middle of the day. Sapphire and I had an odd and uneasy friendship, full of arguing, awkward apologizing, and hesitation. Meanwhile, Wally had to calm me down and comfort me just so I could get by… It started with kissing and cuddling and innocence, but after nine or ten days I wanted more than that. I was frightened, uneasy, and insecure, and I felt that Wally and I had to become closer, or else I'd lose him, and the feelings of safety and trust I was associating him with.

One night, those feelings just kind of exploded outwards. It started with me waking up from a nightmare. That time, it was about Wally getting left in the explosion and dying with my father.

"Wally, wake up!" I said anxiously, as I quickly sat up.

"Again, Ruby?" Wally said sleepily, as he slowly sat up too. I nodded, and he firmly embraced me. "It was just a dream, Ru-kun…We're safe…Everyone is fine." Wally said. It was a soft, comforting tone that I had become very familiar with.

"I was so worried, Wally…" I said, hugging him back. "I'm still worried…" I mumbled, shaking slightly.

"Ssshhhh…It's fine, Ruby. We're okay. Nothing's happening." Wally told me as he rubbed my back. I kissed him on the lips, simply elated that he was still there. At that time, it wasn't too hard to believe that he could be gone at any time. The kiss was rough and forceful, and Wally was obviously caught off guard at first, but soon he was going along with it. I kissed him again, this time using my tongue. Wally gasped in surprise, a deep blush across his face. "R-ruby, uhm…W-what is this?" Wally asked timidly.

"I'm just very happy to be with you right now…" I answered, as I kissed his neck.

"R-ruby!" Wally sputtered in flustered surprise, this was obviously all new to him. I cracked a grin and gave him another French kiss, closing my eyes to revel in the short-lived bliss. I held him tightly in my arms and stroked his hair. I remember how unusually beautiful he looked, even though it was dark and my eyes had only just adjusted. He was soft, warm, compassionate, comforting, everything I wanted at that moment.

"I love you." I said, as I pressed his body against mine. There was no one particular emotion I said it with. I can't even exactly say how much I meant it or how much I was just saying it for comfort's sake. I was an entire mess of sadness, desperation, pleasure, hope, fear, anxiety, confusion, and joy. Above all, it was just something I felt I had to tell him. That way…he'd be mine, and it'd be much harder for anyone to take him from me.

"I…I love you too, Ruby." Wally said, as he hugged me tightly.

"That's wonderful, Wally." I said, and then I kissed him on the lips once again. This time, he hesitantly joined in with his own tongue. I moaned slightly, feeling like nothing else in the world was important for a moment. But as I went to remove the t-shirt Wally was sleeping in, I was hit by a wave of guilty clarity. Wally hadn't ever exactly said no, but who was I to be coming onto him like some sort of depraved, hormonal animal just because I had things I'd rather not think about? I backed away, and tears started to flow down my cheeks for what seemed like the umpteenth time in the last several days. "I-I'm sorry…" I murmured, as the tears flowed even more. "I didn't mean to be like that…"

"It's fine, Ruby. Really. I'm fine. It's okay. I was just a little surprised. W-we can do more of that, if that's what you want…" Wally said, as he put a hand on my shoulder.

"But…that..that isn't what I really want. I don't even _know_ what I want. I…I do need you…but I don't want to just _use _you…" I said, as Wally once again began to hold me in his arms.

"I already said, Ruby. I won't leave you. So just…try to relax." Wally reassured me, giving me a small smile and a kiss on the cheek. I stopped my tears with some difficulty, and he began to speak again. "Can you go back to bed alright?" he asked with gentle concern. I hesitated and shook my head, and he just adjusted his position somewhat and then patted his lap. Knowing what he wanted, I rested my head in his lap. As he stroked my hair, I steadily went to sleep.

Before dozing off, I wasn't quite sure what was sadder: My dad dying, or me being a needy, grating, and draining little shit towards a loved one who was still alive.


	19. Over 9000 Percent Done

**Chapter 19**

**Over 9000% Done**

* * *

I stumbled forward, my legs numb and as heavy as cement. My whole body felt like it was burning up, and even the ground felt spongy and surreal beneath my feet. Every direction I looked, there were only trees, shrubbery, and grasses. The canopy was amazingly thick, letting barely any light through. I had to feel my way around and shuffle my feet just to keep myself from falling over. I had no idea where I was, or what was happening. Everything smelled singed and charred, and I didn't have a single team member with me. No Sapphire, and worst of all, no Wally either. The sudden realization brought tears to my eyes, as anxiety, despair, and fear seemed to set like concrete on top of any rational thought. I hated the feeling, not just because the emotions were negative, but because Wally was almost the entirety of it. Lately, he had been completely swallowing my thoughts. I felt like I needed him, despite knowing full well it wasn't healthy, but then a little voice in the back of my head would go "_you deserve it_". I internally battled with that voice constantly, and I was still at it even as I stumbled through that strange forest.

Over and over again, I'd try to tell myself that I need to get things under control, and that I have to stand on my own two feet if I really want to get anywhere. But the voice seemed to have a silver tongue, and it knew all my weaknesses. It was consoling, in a disgusting sort of way. It'd always tell me about how wonderful Wally was, how good and kind Wally was, and that if I was going to have any chance I had to entirely devote myself to him. But at the same time, the voice despised me. It talked me down, always bringing up how everything was my fault, always going over how foolish and useless I was, and how much danger I was putting all of my friends in. It ridiculed me for being an awful son to my father, and for how I was failing to get any closer to Sapphire, or anyone else for that matter. It would whisper in my ear, comparing me unfavorably and unfairly to people, especially Wally. In practically no time, it was like Wally was on an oil slicked pedestal, and I was endlessly struggling to even get a foothold. I wanted to back away, I wanted to give him space so badly, but I couldn't bear being away from him. I needed him, but it wasn't romantic at all. It was sickening and shameful, and I could hardly even stop myself.

As I reflected on that, I suddenly registered a small, distant flickering light in the forest. Time seemed to float and flutter uncertainly as I headed towards it, and I ended up getting there without even being entirely aware of how I did it. But when I saw the source of the light, I almost immediately wished I hadn't. Wally was there. But he was all wrong. His entire body was wreathed in flames, and they had burned all of his clothing away. They even seemed to be trying to work through his flesh, because he was covered in burns from head to toe and chunks of flesh were missing, even though sometimes it seemed more like tearing or ripping rather than strict burning. His eyes were nothing but pits of fire, yet he seemed to be able to see me. His "stare" immediately made me feel nauseous and more terrified than I had ever been my entire life, and my body felt heavier than ever.

I woke up with a start, just after dream Wally leapt onto me and started ferociously clawing and biting me like a feral animal, leaving burns and bruises everywhere. However, the real Wally happened to be serving as my pillow, sleeping peacefully. Even though I tried to stop myself, I was hugging the life out of him before I even realized it.

"Ruby?...Ruby, what's the matter?" Wally said groggily.

"Take me home, Wally!" I cried, quite literally. All rational thought was thrown out the window, I just wanted comfort, lots and lots of comfort.

"Ruby, we can't go home...Shh..." Wally said, rubbing my back.

"I-I wanna go home! Fuck this! Fuck it! Fuck! I-I'm nothing b-but a worthless wreck! W-we're all gonna die! W-we're all gon' die! 'S gon' be my faul'! N' gon' burnin hell like I ds'serve!" I sobbed frantically, barely comprehensible.

"Ruby, please, calm down...calm down..." Wally said, his voice trembling, just barely calm himself. "I promise, it'll be alright. Soon...soon we'll...we'll...w-we..." I only gave muffled screams and cries in response. My hands were balled up into fists, desperately clinging the back of Wally's shirt as if he were going to vanish into thin air. Wally's entire body seemed to tense up for a moment, and sure enough he was beginning to cry too. He seemed to be trying to apologize, but between his crying and my own, I could hardly make any words out. After a little while, Sapphire came in and brought us outside, but we were far from done crying. When we finally did mostly calm down, all of our Pokémon were huddled around us. Mint looked absolutely miserable, and even Belle seemed concerned. Sapphire was sitting next to us with a pained, conflicted expression, and she was half-heartedly stirring a pan of scrambled eggs on the small stove in front of her. She briefly looked over at us, then looked back at the eggs and spoke.

"So...do you feel like explaining any of that to me?" she asked it so softly and gingerly I almost couldn't believe it. It was silent for a moment, and then Wally spoke.

"Ruby had another nightmare, and he woke me up so I could calm him down, so I tried...but this time, I just...his voice, it just...I couldn't handle it." Wally said quietly.

"I see." Sapphire said softly. "Ruby, what was the nightmare like?" I didn't give a response. "Ruby... Ruby, I want to help you..." Sapphire said sadly, then gave a defeated sigh when I still didn't answer. "I'm sorry I don't know how exactly. I'm sorry I keep making you hate me... I'm sorry that I don't know how to be your friend. I'm sorry that I act tough and headstrong even when it's stupid and inappropriate and just makes everyone mad at me... and I'm sorry that I have so many things to be sorry about..."

I looked at her for a while, genuinely feeling sorry for her. But with that came a feeling even five times worse, only directed at myself. Therefore, I didn't ever manage to say anything back. In fact, I hardly ever talked at all for a long time after that. Everything was so confusing and painful that expressing it in words seemed like something I wasn't capable of at the time, lest I somehow made things even worse like how I always seemed to do.

I mostly used body language and expressions, and I became nearly impossible to separate from Wally. Sometimes I didn't even think about it, I'd just get up and follow him like a baby duck or a puppy. He and Sapphire would try getting me to talk, but I barely did. Fortunately, after a couple more days, we were finally approaching the water on the east side of Mauville that we needed to cross to get to Fortree. But unfortunately, nothing is quite that simple.

* * *

"Hello, you three..." a weary but familiar voice said. We all turned around, and there was Wattson. He seemed far different from his previous jolly self, he glared at us sternly and his posture was stiff.

"Huh? What's going on, Wattson?" Wally asked, noticing the change in his demeanor.

"I'm surprised. You managed to completely evade Rustboro...That's quite a feat, you know." Wattson said, with none of his famous overexcited edge. I tensed up, and Sapphire asked the question I was basically thinking.

"What do you mean, 'evade'...Does that mean..." Wattson looked away for a moment, then back at us, but this time his gaze was softer.

"I'm terribly sorry about this..." Wattson said with deep regret, as he tossed a Pokéball into the air. "Manectric! Thunder Wave!" he called. The electrical canine quickly complied, only for the Thunder Wave to veer unexpectedly off course, landing harmlessly in the sand.

"Hm?" Wattson said, cocking his head slightly in curiosity.

Lexis suddenly popped out of Wally's pocket and scurried down his leg. With breakneck speed, he shot past Manectric, and climbed up onto the back of Wattson's neck. Wattson quickly raised his hands to his neck, but before anyone even knew what was going on, Lexis made a small cut in the skin, sparked for a moment, and then Wattson suddenly convulsed violently and collapsed on the sand. Manectric growled and its body sparked fiercely, but Lexis held a glowing white claw to Wattson's throat, and answered with threatening strings of chatter. Wattson was still moving somewhat, and weakly attempting to get up. However, Manectric seemed to understand, and it backed away and lowered it's body to the ground. My eyes were wide, and Wally was tightly hugging me. Sapphire stepped up in front of us, then spoke.

"W-what the hell did you just do?!" she yelled in surprise.

Lexis let off a small but prolonged shock directed into Wattson's neck for several seconds, then began to write in the sand. I pretended the sight of Wattson's body slightly twitching and spasming the entire time wasn't bothering me. "Paralysis. I'm not exactly powerful, but I have a lot of skill with precise control... As a matter of fact, this Wattson fellow is unusually resistant...And by unusually, I mean impossibly. If I hadn't gone for the neck, he'd be perfectly fine right now."

"Well..I'm leader of Mauville...I'm not sure what sort of Joltik you have there, you three, but...it's really something to paralyze the likes of me for even a moment..." Wattson said in a pained voice, as he weakly moved his head to look at us.

"Astounding! That should have afforded at least several minutes of total immobility!" Lexis wrote, chattering excitedly as he did.

"Ahaha...If that Joltik of yours is this good...maybe it could even deactivate the band...around my knee." Wattson said weakly.

"...H-he could?" I asked in complete disbelief. Wally and Sapphire looked at me with a mixture of surprise and distress, knowing exactly what I was thinking but not quite expecting me to speak so suddenly.

"I..I suppose there's no harm in trying." Lexis wrote, before scurrying to Wattson's right knee. He crawled up his pants, and for a moment nothing happened. Then suddenly, Wattson began to scream in pain and squirm about in obvious distress, and he quickly had to bite his shirt just to keep quiet. Manectric whined and paced around him, sometimes looking up at us for a second as if hoping we would be able to do something.

"D-don't worry, this is j-just a safety mechanism...I-I'm fine, I'm fine as long as the-" At that moment, a slow, faint beeping started. Wattson's eyes widened, and he suddenly became frantic and much more articulate as adrenaline rushed through his veins. Wally sent out Mint, and simply nodded to her with a pained expression as the air around us began to shimmer. "Damn! Damn! No! No, please! Damnit, I'm not done yet! I'm this city's fucking Gym Leader! Fuck you, all of you goddamn higher-ups in the Pokémon League! This is my city, do you bastards hear me? Mauville is mine, and you can keep your greasy motherfucking mind-controlling claws out of it! I've fought to keep my spot for forty-two fucking years! You can't have it! I won't fucking let y...yo..." The beeping, which had been steadily getting louder and faster throughout Wattson's rant, suddenly stopped, just as Wattson fell unconscious.

"Whatever that band is exactly, it's a very intricate invention...It's quite a wonder I was able to stop it..." Lexis wrote, before sprawling his legs out on the sand in apparent exhaustion.

"But you did it! You saved him!" Wally cried excitedly.

"Yes, but...this means that...Back then, I could have saved Ruby's father as well...But I failed to take appropriate action." Lexis wrote. I didn't say anything, and Sapphire looked like she wanted to but didn't have the right words.

"That, uh, took us all by surprise. Let's just focus on Wattson right now!" Wally said, the hurried and nervous tone of his voice made it obvious he was trying to quickly abandon the subject. Using Mint's telekinesis to move him without getting his clothes any dirtier, we managed to prop him up against a tree near the beach, and after a bit of somewhat awkward watching and waiting, Wattson woke up.

"Ah, wow..." he said, looking around for a moment and blinking a few times. "I'm sorry about that breakdown I had towards the end there, ahaha..." He took a deep breath, then spoke again. "But..you three actually managed to save me! Especially that Joltik of yours! How about that? Ahaha! Ahahaha! WAHAHAHA!...Excuse me. I'm just so damn glad! I'm free! Free! How can I repay you? Oh sweet Arceus, this calls for celebratory whiskey!"

"Whiskey?" Wally said with mild disgust.

"Kid, when you're a Gym Leader, your liver can take just about anything no matter how old you are!" Wattson shouted jovially. "That's why our leg bands are bombs, in fact. Nothing but blowing us to smithereens can put us down for good."

"...Why is that, exactly?" Sapphire asked.

"To become a Gym Leader, you've gotta go through all kinds of gene therapy and surgery and whatnot...Wasn't like that back when I first got the job, but just a few years later they said if I didn't do it I'd be replaced...It really isn't fair at all, but they constantly remind you that a 'true' gym leader must be able to defend themself and their city in any situation...Yet they're still always on my damn back about replacing me." Wattson grumbled for a little while after finishing.

"But you haven't done anything wrong..." Sapphire said.

"It's not that, it's my age. I've been around too long. The procedures weren't as advanced back then, so they always say I'm not as good as the young leaders, even though I've had to go through so much more...Dirty bastards...And the younger you are, the better you usually take to the treatment...especially if there's already something exceptional about you."

"...That's all very interesting, but why were you trying to capture us? W-what were you planning to do?" Wally asked.

"I had orders to send you to a League facility for physical and mental alterations..." Wattson said regretfully.

"Oh dear Arceus, more shitty B-movie plot..." Sapphire said with a groan.

"W-what is 'alteration' supposed to mean?" Wally asked worriedly.

"Like I said, it's most efficient to alter the young...and after all, you already have been altered, at least Ruby and Sapphire have." Sapphire suddenly sputtered and put a hand to her head, and her eyes went wide.

"W-what?!" Sapphire said, trembling slightly. "I thought that was just..."

"Come now. Ruby, Sapphire? Names like that? Do you think you really have such convenient names on just a whim? Hell, I wish I could remember what my real name was. Hardly any other Gym Leaders have remembered their real names either... Green and Cheren are exceptions, but as you know, that could easily be changed... That's why most don't use our last names or any titles or honorifics...our names are nothing but titles in the first place, just taken to the extreme."

"Dad's name isn't Norman..." I mumbled quietly, with my head beginning to hurt as memories flooded in. Letters, overheard conversation, phone calls... 'Norman' was used every time, yet as I thought harder about it, it seemed unnatural. It was like the memories didn't 'fit', the feeling of walking into a room and noticing something different that you can't exactly specify.

"No. Not at all. Now, I suppose I should tell you why your names are Ruby and Sapphire..." Wattson started, taking a deep breath. "Count yourselves lucky that it's basically a universal rule that old people like telling stories." he said with a wry smile. "We know all about Teams Aqua and Magma...and I don't know how much you know, but it should be obvious we haven't done much to stop them...And that's because they actually made a deal with the League. A sort of bribe, I guess you could say."

"How could there possibly be a bribe big enough?!" Sapphire cried, sounding disgusted.

"Simple. Aqua awakens Kyogre, Magma awakens Groudon... And if all goes well, easy climate control and terraforming. We and any nation or region we ally with would be able to advance and prosper with ease. Therefore, their studies and efforts to awaken Groudon and Kyogre are actually a source of great excitement for us...especially because neither team has any idea that Maxie and Archie won't be the ones to control the two legendary beasts...I think you know what I'm getting at here."

Sapphire simply stared at Wattson, eyes wide with disbelief. I trembled slightly and grabbed Wally's hand.

"Ahahaha, you look like you've got the idea. So I'll confirm it. Ruby and Sapphire, you are both currently incomplete hosts of the Red and Blue Orbs. Had you not stopped me, you'd be well on your way to being made into the perfect hosts for the Red and Blue Orbs...and once that was done, the League would steal the orbs from Mt. Pyre, implant them into you, and force you to be entirely loyal to them. You'd be puppets, simple tools for a greater cause. Maxie and Archie would be disposed of, and their organizations would be completely eradicated. No one would object. After all, the teams have agreed to pose as nothing but inscrutable villains. All according to plan."

"Arceus..." Wally muttered quietly, as he wrapped his arms around me and held me close.

"But...but...the sickness that killed our original selves... How did it happen so conveniently?" Sapphire asked, seeming afraid of the answer.

"Thanks to the study of Pokémon, our society has a very comprehensive understanding of biology...It's not much trouble at all to spread a covert virus that only affects young children. And from there, it's not much trouble to clone them back to life and genetically alter them, then manipulate their parents to get said children into convenient locations and situations." We all simply stared at Wattson, hardly able to believe all the things he was telling us. He frowned slightly and continued.

"While you are perhaps the most exceptional examples, it's not just you... Right now, hundreds of teens around your age are pre-made perfect candidates for various duties and positions of power. Even if they fail to recover you two, Ruby and Sapphire, there are doubtlessly backups available... So, with that being said, this is very important. There's no backing out... I'll help you, of course, but this is something you absolutely have to be involved in. It's unfair, it's awful, I know, but this plan must come to a complete halt." Wattson slowly got up and dusted himself off to the best of his ability, then turned back to us. "Come on, you three. We've got a lot to do!"

As outrageous as it all seemed, we found ourselves following him without protest.


	20. This Isn't Funny Anymore

**Ch 20: This Isn't Funny Anymore**

* * *

Wattson was a surprisingly fast walker for such an old guy. We managed to travel peacefully along the shore for about fifteen minutes, only to be suddenly interrupted by the sight of a Claydol barreling across the water with an oddly familiar young man riding on its head. And it was clear it was coming straight for us. We all quickly backed away, with Wattson making sure he stayed between us and the Claydol. It came to a sudden halt in front of us, and at that moment I was able to recognize who the rider was. Steven Stone, looking none too pleased. But even if I did want to greet him, I had no time. In an instant, Claydol's telekinesis had grabbed Wattson and flung him into the air like a ragdoll.

"What in the world do you think you're doing with those three, Wattson?!" Steven shouted. "Where the hell are you taking them?"

"Well, if it isn't Devon's most spoiled brat..." Wattson greeted wryly, as he picked himself back up.

"Answer me!" Steven replied, with a gaze harder than steel. "I know there's something different about you, you ancient bastard! You never could be trusted!"

"Don't wet your diaper, kid! I'm just doing what's right!" Wattson said with a grin.

"Claydol!" Steven cried. Without any further command, Claydol's telekinesis pulled Wattson forward, and Wattson suddenly began to cry out and clutch his head in agony.

"If you hadn't been so thrilled to see me, grabbing a few memories wouldn't have to hurt..." Steven said coldly, as Claydol forcefully threw Wattson back on the ground. Wattson's Manectric suddenly growled and rushed forward with its mouth agape, and it's fangs fully bared and glowing dark purple. It bit down deep into Claydol's side, and Claydol let out a screech of pain and displeasure before forcibly dislodging it with a telekinetic burst. Just as Manectric got up again, Steven gave a small smile, and Manectric was suddenly floating in the air by its neck, and looking as if it were having trouble breathing.

"So, they disabled the bomb...How novel." Steven commented emotionlessly. "But hey, Wattson. If that can't get you to listen anymore...Maybe I'll just strangle one of your beloved Pokémon instead. You would be enough of a senile bastard to bring ones you actually care about with you...oh wait, you care about them all."

The entire time, all I could do was stare in horror. I had met Steven before, and he had been nothing like that. Before, he was kind, gracious, polite, and admittedly pretty damn attractive. Now he was some rude, heartless mockery of that...who had the nerve to still be so damn physically attractive. Not that I actually let that affect me, especially because I wasn't even in a proper mental state to let it affect me, I just think it's a huge shame in retrospect.

Wally and Sapphire seemed to be in similar states of shock, although they didn't have the added heartbreak of meeting him beforehand.

Wattson seemed to be at a complete loss, looking between Manectric and Steven a few times. He looked back at us for a moment, and gave the briefest of grins as he looked down at Mint. Mint noticed and then stiffened a bit, as if she suddenly realized something. She turned towards Manectric ever so slightly, then back towards Wattson.

Finally, he looked straight up at Steven. "Well, I guess I have no choice..."

"Soft as ever, I see. At least it makes my job easy..." Steven said with a smirk. "Come on then, old man. Let's collect these troublesome kids."

"Whatever you say." Wattson said blankly, as Steven was suddenly thrown off of Claydol by an invisible force. Claydol briefly lost focus, and Wattson used the opportunity to return Manectric with incredible speed. Mint seemed very pleased with herself.

"Traitor!" Steven hissed venomously as he jumped back onto his feet. "If you're going to try besting me with petty trickery, I'm through!" Steven yelled. Once again, Claydol grabbed Wattson with telekinesis just before he could reach another Pokeball on his belt. But that time, he didn't get put back down

That time, he gave a bloodcurdling scream, just as his arms and legs were brutally torn away, like a doll being pulled in 4 different directions. Right in front of us... To say it was horrifying was an understatement. Sapphire let out a high pitched, wide-eyed, inarticulate wail, and Wally clung to me so forcefully we both fell over, since the sight made my knees weak. Mint's scream was even higher and longer, and she was on her knees, shaking all over. I turned away and shut my already tear-filled eyes just as I saw Wattson's neck begin to twist and strain.

"So. You may have been able to avoid a worthless old man...But don't think for a second you'll evade me." I heard Steven say. I also heard what must've been the remains of Wattson hitting the ground with a sandy plop.

"M-monster..." Wally mumbled. I felt him lifting himself off of me.

"Don't waste your breath with insults...You aren't even necessary for this operation. Stay silent, or I'll kill you too." Steven threatened frigidly. His words made my blood run cold. Kill...Wally?! The thought was absolutely incomprehensible.

"Fuck you! Y-you just killed someone, an' you don't even fucking care!" Wally cried indignantly.

"Well, I warned you." Steven said. The tone he said it with made me immediately open my eyes, fearing the worst. Wally was pulled up into the air, and I grabbed his leg in sheer panic. I'm not sure what exactly I was thinking, since I was predictably just pulled up with him. Mint rushed over to try and pull him back down, but Claydol's mind was no match for hers.

"N-no! I d-don't give a flying fuck about you! W-what I care about is… how you're making Claydol do these awful things! A-an' you don't even care about him!"

"Of course. Pokémon should do what their Trainer says...But I suppose that information is wasted on y-" Wally suddenly began to speak again.

"Shut your fucking mouth! Life isn't a fucking game! We're not your fucking pawns!" Suddenly, Wally's eyes began to glow green. In fact, his entire body was outlined with green. "**Claydol!**" Wally screamed hoarsely, in a highly unusual voice. Just like the order to go to Petalburg Gym from the TV, it seemed to be much more than just a voice. It plunged into the deepest depths of my mind, and it made my head pound. Suddenly, Wally and I both fell to the ground.

"N-no...We...It can't be...You! How the hell did you just-" Once again, Steven was cut off as Claydol violently threw him against the ground with telekinesis.

"**Claydol! He does not deserve to command you! He is not your rightful Trainer! Punish him! Show no mercy!**" Wally screamed. As he spoke, it seemed like his voice was the only sound in the world. I'm not trying to be romantic or awestruck or anything, that's literally how I felt.

"What the hell is this?! Claydol! Claydol, listen to me! I command you! I am Steven Stone! Do as I say this instant!" Steven yelled, as he struggled beneath Claydol's psychic grip. In response, Claydol simply lifted it's own Pokeball and effortlessly crushed it. "No! How?! Only the League should be able to produce such power in a human!"

"Wally! What the hell are you doing?!" Sapphire cried, looking at him with a lost, pitiful expression.

"**Claydol. Earth Power.**" Wally said. Suddenly, the sand beneath began to glow a harsh yellow, before a golden stalagmite slammed up against Steven's back with astounding force. Simultaneously, Claydol's telekinesis wouldn't allow Steven to be flung into the air like he'd normally be, so the result was that there was now a gaping hole in Steven's midsection, ragged and dirty from the rough, bluntly tipped stalagmite, and he looked misshapen.

"S-stop...Wally, p-please stop..." I muttered quietly, as I uncertainly placed my hands gently on his shoulders, but Wally didn't listen at all. He simply continued looking straight ahead. My heart was practically pounding in my throat, and nothing even seemed real.

"**Make it quick.**" Wally commanded emotionlessly. Claydol picked Steven up and placed the tip of one of its arm cannons in the newly created hole, facing upwards. In the next instant, that arm fired a Hyper Beam, and Steven's corpse dropped to the ground, consisting only of his lower half, and the mangled remains of his arms.

"**Free them.**" Wally demanded. Each of Steven's Pokeballs floated into the air and released their contents, and the remaining Pokémon stared at Steven's corpse with varying expressions of confusion and shock. I fought back the urge to vomit as his Metagross and Armaldo quickly overcame their surprise and communicated to each other with apparent excitement before they ripped the corpse in half, and then began to eat their respective halves. Only the Cradily seemed distressed at all, as it gurgled and flailed it's tentacles about. The Aggron looked on impassively, and the Skarmory fussed over the remains of an arm. None of them seemed interested in Wattson's corpse.

Wally finally stopped glowing, and he immediately clung to me tightly and began to speak rapidly, on the verge of tears. "I-I heard you! I heard you tell me to stop, b-but I couldn't do it! I c-couldn't c-control myself! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Wally continued to repeat it until his voice was only incoherent sobbing. Any attempt to verbally comfort him swiftly became impossible, because I was too occupied with my own crying. Sapphire came over and hugged us both tightly, and I think she was crying too. After that, I don't really remember much else.

* * *

Time passed in a haze as I struggled to come to terms with everything that had happened. I'm pretty sure Sapphire had to yell at me sometimes just to get me to keep going. Wally was usually dead quiet, but he never protested. Next thing I knew, I was dead tired, it was dark, I was on my bicycle, and we were in front of an all too familiar house out in the middle of nowhere.

We came in, and we were immediately greeted by Mismagius, who looked incredibly conflicted about our arrival.

"...I never would've thought..." she said morosely. "Sit. Please." she asked, and we all obliged, since Wally and Sapphire had to be at least as tired as I was.

"We...we need your help. Please." Sapphire said in a small voice, as she looked down into her lap.

"I can see that...The memories are so fresh I could almost say I was there." Mismagius said somberly. "I'm terribly sorry...So, so sorry...But I suppose that won't actually be of much help to you, so let's get right to it..." She looked at us with a mixture of patience and pity.

"I don't want my powers anymore..." Wally quietly moaned. "Never again..."

"Hm...I admit, from your memories, that's a very rare type of empathy you have...It's one of the most powerful and unpredictable as well... But I have seen it before." Mismagius said. A bottle of wine suddenly appeared next to her, and she poured some into a tall glass and took a long drink.

"I don't care...I just want it gone." Wally said listlessly.

"I understand...But it's not your fault. And forgive me for pushing the issue, but I personally believe you should keep it."

"No! I killed someone!" Wally cried.

"It's not your fault. That's just how your ability works...It's sort of like Bide, I suppose. When Pokémon are highly distressed, you absorb all of that distress. You make it your own, and you internalize it. On the other hand, when you are highly distressed, you unleash all of that pain, along with your own pain... Pokémon are already highly attuned to the feelings and motivations behind commands, so this is especially powerful. They can't possibly ignore your influence, regardless of previous opinions. And it was entirely natural for you to lose control. You literally took on the violent, intense feelings of many other Pokémon, and you most likely felt the concealed hatred and contempt of Steven's Pokémon, so most of what you felt didn't even come directly from you."

"Well...yeah, at that time, I didn't care about Steven as a person at all... All I cared about was how horrible he was being, and how I would be able to stop him...And then it just sort of...consumed me...But...but why would I keep such an awful ability?! Why?!" Wally cried.

"You're going to need it." Mismagius said, sighing deeply.

"You're telling me it's necessary to kill people?!" Wally screamed, as he jumped to his feet in record time.

"Yes, at least with the things you three will be going through." Mismagius said bluntly.

"No...I can't...I can't! I won't!" Wally yelled, before plunging his head into my chest and hugging me tightly. I simply sat there and stroked his hair in silence, unsure if I had any more reason than that left.

"Well..." Mismagius cleared her throat and drained the rest of her wine. "As for you two, Ruby and Sapphire, I suppose I've found out the hard way what exactly I sensed in you when we first met. I'll keep you here for a while. You are in no state of mind to continue travelling right now, so I believe a breather for everyone is in order..." She looked up at the ceiling for a moment, and gave a wry, knowing smile. "And I do mean everyone." If you don't know what she means, then nevermind.

As Sapphire looked up at her ever so slightly, she continued. "I know I'm not exactly the paragon of mental well-being, but you obviously can't stay in Pokémon Centers anymore. I already know how the outside world is reacting, after all." she said, motioning to a TV. "They're still saying it was Aqua or Magma, except now they say you three could be part of them, and they are offering a reward to anyone who gives information about you. Basically, you've been thrown under the bus, and I'm sure they're much angrier than they let on." Mismagius explained, shaking her head in disappointment. "But with my abilities, I'll be able to keep you safe here." Sapphire gave her a reproachful look as she said that. "So, let me show you around." She got up and shifted gracefully and fluidly to her Pokémon form as she moved, surrounded by only a modest amount of purple smoke as she did so. In retrospect, the realization that the first time she transformed in front of us was purposely exaggerated to scare us irritates me.

We followed her through a hallway and down a staircase, which was incredibly long and winding, with multiple landings. Luckily, we stopped on the first one. "In case you're wondering, none of this actually exists in the normal world. Think of this as another dimension. I am the key to this dimension, as I am also it's creator. If anyone else goes through that door, all they see is a closet." she explained.

"I guess that's kinda cool..." Sapphire half-heartedly replied. She was probably thinking of how easy it would be for Mismagius to trap people forever. And then eat their souls. But we tried our best to not think about that as she led us to three different rooms, all of which actually seemed rather nicely decorated and entirely normal. There were even areas for our Pokémon on the second level down, and they all seemed pleased with them. Belle even got a doorway to an actual remote area in the real world, since Mismagius sympathized with her nightly ritual, which apparently wouldn't work in her dimension.

We unpacked, ate dinner, took much-needed showers, and settled in, and then we almost immediately went to sleep. The dinner had even been all of our favorites, (Thinking of that beef stir fry makes my mouth water to this day...) and Mismagius was very nice to us. But when we went to bed, Wally and I decided there were just too many nightmares and concerns to sleep by time it was 12:30 AM, even if we were sleeping in the same bed. I had seen that the bed was a good deal wider than Sapphire's when I was shown the room earlier, and I was quietly grateful for Mismagius' foresight. We talked, comforted each other, and dozed lightly on and off until 3:00 AM, then just completely gave up. "Maybe Mismagius could use Dream Eater on us..." I said half-jokingly, as I stroked Wally's hair.

"She should teach it to Mint first, I don't exactly trust it directly from her..." Wally mumbled. "Good idea though..." he said, giving me a quick kiss on the lips.

"She's not so bad though...she's just seen way more than anyone should really see..." I said.

"Yeah, but now I really understand what you meant by wanting to go home a couple of days ago...This is such a mess..." Wally said with a sigh.

"I know, I know..." I said, with a mixture of comfort and wistfulness. "I...I just..I don't know how to feel...I cried a lot, I felt hopeless all the time, but now...it's still there, but everything is just kinda numb..."

"I get what you're saying..." Wally said blankly. "There's just...so much going on...I feel like if it wasn't for being with you, Sapphire, and the Pokémon on this journey, I'd go crazy..."

"I guess if anything, this taught me to be careful what I wish for...I...I wanted things to be different, but never like this." I said, thinking back on the normal life that I felt foolish for never being satisfied with. The thought brought a few tears to my eyes, but for that moment it was hardly even that sad...just some sort of numb, almost foreign, half-baked sadness. I cherished it, since a depressive mood always seems to come in waves.

"Yeah...Hey, Ruby?" Wally said softly.

"What is it?"

"I love you..." Wally said, before kissing me. I could feel his tongue in my mouth, and his hands already starting to wander across my body.

"I love you too." I said when the kiss stopped, and then I gave him a kiss of my own, one hand positioning his face and the other pulling us closer together.

Sure, it isn't sex, but making out is definitely an advantage of having a boyfriend while you feel like shit.


	21. An Almost-Decent Break

**Ch 21: An Almost-Decent Break**

In the morning, things were unexpectedly pretty normal. I half expected Mismagius to barge in and make us sign some contract with our own blood, detailing all the chores and supernatural horrors we'd have to put up with if we didn't want to be locked in some filthy dungeon that may or may not have existed hundreds of stair flights below us.

But hey, if she's nice enough to let me cuddle with my boyfriend instead, whatever. We drifted in and out of uneasy sleep, but we were mainly just sort of tiredly nestled together for comfort.

"I'm bored AND tired." I said with a groan, not able to do much about either of them. Not only is it rude to explore a stranger's house, there'd probably be things I never wanted to see and a bunch of psychic barriers and booby traps.

"Hi bored and tired, my name is Wally." Wally answered, prompting me to playfully push him. I looked up and scanned the room for stuff we could do, until my eyes fell on a TV and a stack of DVDs.

"Are you fucking serious right now..." I deadpanned, unable to believe we had never once even attempted or truly noticed such an obvious option.

"As cereal as a fart attack." Wally said, laughing fartily... I mean, heartily at his own stupid joke.

"...You really need to get some proper sleep." I said to him, slightly concerned for his sanity.

"Sleep is for the WEAK." Wally cried, as he tossed a pillow at me.

"It's too early for this..." I mumbled.

"But it wasn't too early for you when you fondled my-"

"I-It was DARK, okay?! I'm sixteen, and I was aroused, and it was dark! Just drop it!" I cried, blushing furiously.

"Then you must engage me in MORTAL COMBAT!" Wally cried as he clumsily positioned himself on the bed with the intention of using a pillow as a melee weapon. Now that I had my honor and dignity to defend, I had much less trouble attacking with the pillow he had thrown at me beforehand. After an epic duel, in which we both lost our weapons, which had been carefully hand-stuffed by renowned masters using only the finest enchanted Cottonee cotton, we were reduced to an all out physical brawl on the floor.

...Yes, it had kissing, but that was just to choke the enemy. Yes, it was passionate and it left me flustered, but all fights are sorta like that. No, there weren't any punches, but there was a lot of grappling, and a little bit of biting...and some licking and nibbling...and moaning. There were caresses, but they were just to make the foe vulnerable for the killing strike. And I said some cheesy, embarrassing things that the untrained ear would mistakenly call romantic, but they were simply to confuse and disorient the enemy. All standard fare for any fight.

Then a neutral party arrived, and miraculously managed to end the fight to the death simply by standing there. Because it was Sapphire. And she had just caught us obviously making out on the floor.

"Oh, uh.." she said hesitantly, with a deep blush slowly spreading across her face. "So, I..." she paused, then quickly closed the door with an embarrassed cry of "Breakfast ready soon!"

Wally blushed and helped me up, but then gave me a somewhat mischievous grin. "Oops." he said simply, only sounding partially sorry.

"You're a little beast under all that cute, huh?" I said, my face still red.

"It's not like there's gonna be hickeys or anything..." Wally said shyly.

After we all ate breakfast, showered, and got dressed, Sapphire smirked as she looked at my neck. "I'm glad you're having fun."

"Damn it Wally!" I cried, knowing what must have happened.

"You, uh, got hit really hard with a pillow?" Wally said sheepishly. It was telling that he immediately had a response like that even though he wasn't looking at us before he answered.

There was suddenly a soft knocking and some scratching at the door. Mismagius opened the door, throwing out a rather nonchalant "Don't get too surprised, now."

Of course, that was easier said than done when we saw who it was. None other than Wattson, with bare arms and legs, bloodied clothing, and odd ring shaped scars and markings on his neck and limbs. He was leaning on a thick branch, and he seemed to be in pain. Manectric was beside him, barking excitedly.

Sapphire screamed again, Wally nearly fainted, and I was wondering if Mismagius was actually some kind of freaky afterlife guidance service as my legs trembled and my breath caught in my throat.

"Get in here, you fool!" Mismagius hissed, quickly covering a couch with towels and tossing him onto it with telekinesis before slamming the door. "And I thought I told you three not to be surprised." She said, glancing at us.

"A wonderful greeting as always, Izanami." He said, with a grunt of pain.

"Insufferably reckless as always, Wattson." Izanami said impatiently. Manectric barked at her in a less-than-welcoming manner. "Nice to see you too." she responded sarcastically.

"HOW THE HELL IS HE ALIVE?!" Sapphire screeched.

"You know each other?!" Wally yelled incredulously.

"Like I said, I gotta get blown to bits. And that wasn't enough bits once Metagross stuck my head back on."

"What about oxygen deprivation?! And brain damage?! And-" Sapphire's nearly hysterical rant was cut off.

"When Gym Leaders get beheaded, our brains can reflexively go dormant and protect themselves from any further damage. That way, if we do die, it can be recovered and we can be restored. And if we do somehow get our head reunited with enough of our body, we can still regenerate...It hurts like a motherfucker though." Wattson explained with a somewhat pained voice.

"That's, uh... fascinating?" Wally said weakly and unconvincingly.

"So, that's actually part of why I had Manectric track down your scent... I thought you might have gone to Izanami's place, and I wanted to make sure you were aware that Steven isn't gone for good."

"B-but...I..." Wally started hesitantly.

"His Pokémon explained quite nicely. But he will be back. The League has his brain backed up and they can clone him any time." Wattson explained.

I hugged Wally tightly, attempting to quell the chaotic mix of emotions churning inside of me. On one hand, Wattson was alive. On the other hand, Wattson was ALIVE, and Steven could be brought back to life at any minute, and try to thrust us back into the maddening scheme to make slaves of us and two physical gods.

"How do you know each other?" Sapphire asked, still looking incredibly confused.

"Why wouldn't I know about everything that happens around my glorious city?" Wattson said happily.

"More like he got lost when he was a little boy. He came across my house, and he's been coming by for my help while offering nothing in return ever since. Of course, he found my secret and learned more about me over time..." Izanami said, sighing sharply. "Really now Arthur, be more humble..."

"Who the hell is Arthur?" Wattson answered, seemingly genuinely confused.

"Oh. Right. Nevermind." Izanami said, sighing once again.

"That's his real name?" Wally asked.

"Yeah, but he's been mentally tampered with to the point where he'll flat-out deny that it's his. They don't tamper too much more with Gym Leaders, since they want them to keep a good deal of autonomy and genuine personality... Mind control and brainwashing is much better when someone has straightforward tasks instead of a complex duty." Izanami explained. She sounded way too confident in that knowledge for comfort.

"We've got a morally questionable ghost, an old guy, three traumatized teenagers, and a load of Pokemon...we're one big dysfunctional family." Sapphire deadpanned.

"I prefer 'unique'." Izanami replied

"Arceus, Ruby, where did you get that bruise on your neck? Looks painful." Wattson asked, causing both Wally and I to blush heavily. Sapphire and Izanami burst out laughing, and Wattson steadily caught on.

"I'm just gonna take a nap..." Wattson said nervously, as Wally looked at me apologetically and I tried not to die of embarrassment.

Things were nowhere near as bad as they could've been, really. Although cruel and invasive, brainwashing is great for preventing riots. Wattson returned to his city that evening, after a shower and a change of clothes. No one even knew he 'died', all the blood and remains were easily cleaned and hidden by Steven's Pokémon, considering that it all happened on a bunch of sand and water.

We stuck around for about a week. Izanami was brutally honest and loved to mildly scare and tease us, but she was kind overall. She was even a bit of an impromptu therapist, and once you accepted the creepiness and the "one time she was honestly about to kill you" thing, she could give sound advice on literally just about anything.

We managed to enjoy ourselves more than expected. (Especially Wally and I, whenever we were alone...) There were plenty of movies and board games, so it didn't get very boring. (Don't play against Izanami, she will destroy you no matter what.) Sapphire and I seemed to be on the verge of getting along better, but it mostly became an impassive matter of respecting each other's space and boundaries... and I was starting to get jealous of her being friendly to Wally again.

We also did some training while we were there, using the middle-of-nowhere portal Skitty was given. Apparently, it actually goes to some place called Kalos...it's a really weird place, and if you get too far from the portal you suddenly become extremely unwilling to walk any further, as if you're about to walk into a bunch of fresh cement. Sapphire's Wingull became a Pelipper, and Amber became a Manectric. However, Mint didn't become a Kirlia. Izanami told us that the accident she had with the Roselia overtaxed her body so much that she used up the energy that was supposed to be gradually set aside for evolution, so now she had an energy deficit, for lack of a better term.

Wally was given a more thorough understanding of how his ability worked, and told that above all else, he needed to be in control of his emotions. Of course, Izanami acknowledged that it was a lot easier said than done right off the bat, and being strict and hyper-efficient about it was counterproductive to Wally's current mental state, so by the week's end Wally had only learned about breathing exercises, meditation, and focusing on certain memories. Izanami admitted was important, but simultaneously very obvious stuff he probably would've thought of on his own eventually. But to even get that far, Izanami had to constantly remind him of the possible positive ways he could use his abilities once he mastered them. Wally was hopeful, but at the same time constantly (and understandably) held back by the fear he'd simply lose control.

It was a little difficult to leave after that week, but we didn't exactly have a choice. Especially once a Metagross showed up at the door while we were all in the kitchen, and started systematically tearing the house apart with a mixture of brute strength and telekinesis. We all dove underneath the table and returned all of our Pokémon, and we were able to witness it tear straight through the wall and peer right into the kitchen with one of it's piercing red eyes. (Which, in retrospect, made the idea of hiding under a table an extremely flimsy illusion of safety.)

Izanami hissed something at Metagross venomously, and it gave a massive bellow of pain and slumped down onto its underside. One of the legs sprawled out so far the claws were nearly touching me. She then said something in a string of soft, ethereal moans, and it responded with a series of clicks and gentle growls.

"You need to leave." Izanami said to us.

"Wh-what's going o-" Wally started, but Izanami interrupted.

"Claydol has been tracked down and recaptured. I've protected this house well from psychic scans, but they were still able to deduce your general location... Claydol's memories and psychic abilities are very impressive." Izanami explained.

My thoughts were racing as I scrambled out from underneath the table and bolted for the door. "Wally, come on!" I called, looking back at him and Sapphire for a moment. Our bags appeared in midair and flopped to the floor, courtesy of Izanami, and we quickly grabbed them and ran out the door.

"Try not to die!" Izanami called, cackling loudly as she did so. Metagross was thrown through the air, and he landed in some nearby trees with an almighty crash. As we quickly ran away, the house was already being pieced back together. We caught our breath in a relatively obscure grove of trees, and began to talk amongst ourselves.

"Now what?!" Wally cried. "We're being tracked!"

"I-I don't know.." I murmured, trying not to allow fear to overtake me.

"Well aren't you full of ideas." Sapphire mumbled.

"W-what's that supposed to mean?" I shot back.

"It's nothing. It's not appropriate right now." Sapphire said, looking down towards the ground with a somewhat frustrated expression.

"It's not like we know what the fuck else to do, you might as well say it." I said.

"Well- I just..." She looked up at me, then back down. "...why do you keep ignoring me..." she mumbled.

"I don't ignore you, I see you all the time." I responded back. Truthfully, I had a pretty good idea of what she meant, but I wanted to make it seem like it was her problem, since any problem with 'Sapphire' in it made me want to tear my hair out.

"Yeah, and that's ALL you do. We were kind friends, maybe, at one point, but now we're hardly anything.

"So? If you hate me so much, that's all the reason to work through all this bullshit so we can split up and forget about each other." I said coldly and defensively. Two or three weeks ago, I would have had a less passive-aggressive response, but by then I was too angsty and uncaring for that.

"Oh, so that's it. You just don't give a damn. You don't stress over it all the time. You're not the one who feels useless and confused because someone is constantly grieving and struggling and making them worry all the time. Okay. Thanks for confirming that it's just me, even though it was hard to hear you with your head so far up your ass! I guess it's my turn to stop giving a fuck now!" Sapphire glared with a mixture of hurt and rage, and her fists were balled up tightly.

"Guys..guys no, please stop..." Wally said, positioning himself between us.

"Well maybe I'd be fine if everyone stopped expecting ridiculous bullshit from me!" I yelled back. "First I've gotta fight goddamn terrorists, then I gotta stop getting badges so I can watch my dad fucking explode, then I gotta see people getting ripped apart like ragdolls while I try to hide my ass from a corrupt government, and the best fucking consolation I get is a boyfriend who deserves a thousand times better than me or any of this!" I screamed. My voice began to choke up, and I felt like more and more of an idiot with every word, but the words were flowing as if sort of dam had broken. "Maybe my head belongs up my ass! That's the only place where there's any fucking peace and quiet!" I said more quietly, in a barely controlled, shaky voice as tears began to roll down my cheeks. Wally hugged me tightly, pushing me away from Sapphire as he did so.

"Ruby, it's okay. Calm down. Calm down, Ruby..." Wally said, as evenly as possible.

"Over here! There was shouting!" A voice called, very near where we were.

"Oh no..." I mumbled, covering my face with my hands in shame. Did they really just find us because we stood here and had an argument that was all my fault instead of negotiating a sensible plan of action? We crouched behind trees as well as we could, and my heart pounded in my chest.

"Mint, get us out of here!" Wally whispered sharply, as he dropped her Pokeball to the ground. The familiar sensation of a minor headache and shimmering air started as we heard several pairs of feet approaching.

"Nim, fly up and use Mist on this whole area to make it harder to find us." Wally said softly as he sent him out. Nim complied, and soon, we were surrounded in thick white clouds. There were groans and cries of confusion, and my breath caught as I glimpsed a Swellow blowing all the mist away just before I felt myself being sucked up into a blurry white void.

We ended up sprawled out in a bunch of sand, and the sound of waves could be heard nearby. Looking around, I realized we were right across from the shore where we got attacked by Steven, on the other side of the water.

"Swiggity swort, look who used Teleport!" A vaguely familiar, high-pitched feminine voice called from behind us. We turned around, and the glint of a camera lens said it all. Gabby and Ty came out of some bushes, looking quite surprised to see us. I definitely did not need to suddenly encounter a crazy reporter and her unfortunate cameraman sidekick right now.

"Oh hey, it's you two again...and that other girl Gabby scared away later that day..." Ty said dryly, looking at us with an entirely unamused expression.

"Listen, we're kinda in a hurry, so it's nice to see you again, but-" Wally's voice was cut short.

"Yeah, we know, you're wanted." Gabby said, her voice suddenly much lower and less squealing and piercing.

"W-where did that come from?" Sapphire asked. Gabby's new voice sounded much too deep and serious for her petite frame.

"It's an act, kid. I just act goofy and annoying and hyperactive so I won't have to interview you. I hate this job, but it's good for what Ty and I like doing." Gabby said.

"And that is..." Sapphire started, expecting an answer to be added on.

"Our goal is to gather sufficient evidence that we are living in a highly flawed society, and find a way to safely and effectively distribute that information." Ty said, still with no emotion at all. Apparently, that wasn't an act.

"So really, my act isn't much of a stretch...everyone at the office thinks we're crazy anyways." Gabby added.

"So, this is the part where the heroes get unlikely help that borders on Deus Ex Machina and manage to actually make progress?" Sapphire asked.

"Basically." Both Gabby and Ty responded simultaneously.

"Oh, good, because last time I thought that was gonna happen but then it pulled a cheap ass bait and switch and got us sidetracked and in serious danger once again. So I'm glad you guys are here, I was abou-" Ty cleared his throat, and I think we were all starting to feel strangely uncomfortable as Sapphire continued.

"Sorry." Sapphire said simply.

"Anyway, come with us. We made a secret base nearby, and all of it are belong to us!...I-I mean..yeah, just come on." Gabby said with a slight blush, her eyes willing us to forget that she lapsed into her high pitched silliness for a moment.

So, once again, we were unexpectedly following some adults we really didn't know all that well to supposed safety.

Wow, no way that can possibly go wrong at all.


	22. A Bonus With Boners (Ch Almost 22)

**Ch 21.5: A Bonus With Boners**

**So, the swimming anime (Free! Iwatobi Swim Club) premiered just hours ago, and in honor of that, I maded u guise dis extra chapter! You know, because to parallel an anime all about swimming, homoerotic subtext, and luscious sexy male fanservice, I should write Wally and Ruby being dorky fanboys about it and making out with each other, right? Right! (If you disagree, why have you even read a single word of this fanfiction?)**

**Disclaimer: This chapter is canon, but it has nothing to do with any plot at all and it is 100% unimportant and skippable. But on the other hand, kawaii boyfriends.**

* * *

Wally and I were lying on the bed together in Izanami's house one night, hardly able to sleep and looking at a laptop she let us use. With slight embarrassment, Wally had told me he had a premium Crunchyroll account, so we were watching anime. (We could get wi-fi even though we were in a pocket dimension, since Izanami made a small, discrete portal in the wall that leads directly to some random unsecured router. We're wanted and now we're **internet thieves** too.) Just when I was rocking in anticipation of another episode of Attack On Titan, Wally suddenly spoke up.

"Oh, wow! The swimming anime became a real thing!" Wally squealed.

"What the heck is the swimming anime?" I asked, entirely unaware of what he was talking about.

"It started out as a short animation of sexy guys in swimsuits, and everyone went crazy over it and got upset there was no actual anime, but now there actually is one!" Wally explained.

"That sounds like a really dumb thing to be overly excited about.." I mumbled.

"Well, we're gonna watch it!" Wally declared indignantly, as he started the episode up.

"Guess it can't be as bad as Kuroko no Basuke..." I mumbled. If you looked it up, it might take you a pretty long time to figure out it isn't a shounen-ai or yaoi.

After nearly 24 minutes of homoerotic subtext, copious bromance, hair flips, some comedy, and guys with muscle tone, looks, and definition I would kill for, an unpleasant sensation overtook me. Perhaps not a sensation...more like a realization...

The realization that I actually really enjoyed it.

"Rin has such a nice body..." Wally mumbled, blushing slightly.

"Aren't I good enough?" I said with fake hurt, cuddling up closer to him with a sad expression.

"O-of course you are!" Wally said, blushing. I don't even know what it is exactly that's attractive about me after watching that anime. I'm awkward and brooding and I will NEVER have abs like that...just stretchmarks and a bit of excess softness left over from my days of being a fat kid...I hadn't even been shirtless in front of Wally yet. His stomach was flat and free of blemishes and completely adorable...meanwhile, mine was just...blegh.

"I don't believe you~" I said in a sing-song voice.

"I'll prove it then!" Wally cried, as he set the laptop aside and flipped me onto my back. His lips met mine, soft and warm and ever-so-slightly dry.

"I-I uh..I didn't expect this..." I said, as I felt my face burning.

"You're cute when you're caught off guard, y'know?" Wally said with a mischievous giggle, as he began focusing attention on my neck.

"Shit..." I mumbled, as I grew warmer and increasingly aroused. Wally started out with a few shy kisses, but as I wrapped my arms around him he grew bolder, and began to lick and nibble playfully.

"Am I doing it right?" Wally asked shyly, blushing slightly.

"Y-yeah..." I answered, still flushed.

"So, I hope that convinced you that I still think you're an amazing boyfriend." Wally said, giggling. But after a tease like that, my hormones were practically having a rave. I raised my head and kissed Wally rather aggressively and clumsily on the lips, steadily sitting up and pushing him back as I deepened it and pushed my tongue into his mouth, feeling a rush of pleasure, triumph, and giddy shyness all at once as he began to return the kiss. Now we were both sitting up, and he was on my lap, with his arms and legs wrapped around me. When we stopped kissing, I was a bit surprised.

"This is an awful lot of clinging..." I mumbled.

"Because I'll never let you go." Wally responded with a giggle, as he started up another kissing session. It's overall 'style' was much more caring, considerate, and delicate than my method, and he gently held the back of my head as his tongue casually explored the inside of my mouth. Everything about Wally's intimacy was delicate and playful, yet earnest and sincere. Mine was rougher, clumsier, somewhat less patient and more desperate. I suppose he just had a knack for matters of sensitivity.

"Ru-kun, take your shirt off." Wally cooed, tugging at my collar. "I bet you're adorable without it."

"I..I don't want to..." I mumbled. My body tensed a bit, and Wally started to stroke my back instead.

"I bet it's beautiful." Wally said reassuringly. "Come on, it's only me. The door is locked, so there won't be any interruption this time..." Wally said, snaking an arm up my shirt with a smirk.

"W-well, maybe..." I murmured.

"Well, if you really don't wanna, I'll just have to improvise." Wally said mischievously.

"Improvise?" I asked. Almost immediately after I did, Wally lowered his head and started worming his way up my shirt. It being a t-shirt for sleeping, it was pretty roomy. "Wally!" I cried, blushing slightly. "S-stop!" I ordered, although it was rather insincere because at the same time the situation was also pretty cute and funny to me. I felt Wally turn his head inside of the shirt, and he began to speak.

"This is Fort Wally now! Located against the comforts of Ru-kun's soft tummy!" Wally declared.

"It's not that soft..." I said in denial.

"Are you saying you think you're fat?" Wally asked from beneath my shirt.

"N-no, I just..." I started, unable to accurately describe it. "Don't really feel comfortable with it..."

"I'm your boyfriend. I won't make you feel bad about it, not ever! So, pleeease?" Wally said with his most impossibly cute tone of voice.

"Okay..." I mumbled, as Wally happily removed himself from my shirt and I hesitantly took it off. Wally quickly did the same, and once I was finished I immediately started playing the 'comparison game'. But Wally had other plans.

"Aww, why were you so scared?" Wally asked gently. He kissed me and smiled. "You're so cute."

"Am not..." I mumbled, as I felt my ears redden.

"Are too." Wally said, before he began to blow a raspberry on my stomach. Between the blushing and laughing, I was entirely caught off guard.

"Wally!" I cried, as I defensively covered my stomach with my arms.

"I can't help it. I have a taste for Ruby flesh." Wally said, giggling as he started to nibble and lick on my neck.

"You asked for it!" I cried. With the strength of an average sixteen year old who only needs to be strong enough to overpower a significantly smaller fourteen year old who wasn't resisting, I pinned him to the bed and began to lick and kiss his stomach instead.

"That tickles! Quit!" Wally pleaded between giggles, as he attempted to squirm free of my grip.

"That's what you get." I said, as I moved upwards to the chest and nipples. Wally began to blush and hold back little moans and sighs of pleasure.

"T-this is..uh..different..." Wally mumbled. I was getting flustered just because of how flustered he was getting. My pants were feeling pretty damn uncomfortable at that point, and my thinking was getting a little hazy with all the hormones and emotions. But with some cuddling and more kissing, I satisfied the urge to do anything I would regret later.

"Maybe I should claim I think anime characters are hot more often." Wally joked.

"You better not." I teased. "Who knows what would happen if I kept sucking on your neck?"

"A-are you saying I'm gonna have a hickey?" Wally whined.

"Maybe." I said mischievously. "Probably too late already. Oops."

"Ru-kun!" Wally protested. But after a little more kissing and snuggling, things calmed down a lot. By morning, we had fallen asleep catching up with Attack on Titan.

In addition, there was a rather impressive mark on Wally's neck. He was so embarrassed he actually Googled the best way to cover it with makeup.

I love that boy so much.


End file.
